Complicated
by Neurotica
Summary: Complete. Crossover between two AU worlds: Truths and Living with Danger. Remus and Harry stumble across a park in London, and meet two sisters that used to be Harry's neighbors on Privet Drive. SBOC, RLOC. Cowritten with Anne: whydoyouneedtoknow.
1. Meetings in the Park

**AN:** Okay, kiddies, again, I can't seem to stay on track with anything I'm doing, so here is yet another new story. This one is a crossover between my universeof _Truths, Lies, Consequences _and _Altercations, _and whydoyouneedtoknow's universe (_Living with Danger, Living without Danger, Dealing with Danger_, and a bunch of one shots. If you haven't read her stuff, you really should -as I've said many times. It's really worth repeating. You won't regret it.) It's taken me nearly a month to get up the nerve to type the first chapter and send it for someone to look over. I'm not positive as to where this is going as of right now, but I've got a few ideas. So, enough babbling from me. Enjoy the chapter.

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_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_One_

Remus Lupin smiled as he allowed the six-year-old attached to his left hand to drag him down the sidewalk. The pair had been walking through London all day, and there were still no signs that Harry was going to slow down anytime soon. The messy-haired green-eyed boy spotted a playground in their exploration of the city and decided he'd had enough ice cream – the chocolate cone was abandoned in a trash bin seconds after seeing the playground. Remus glanced quickly at his watch – they still had about an hour before Sirius got off work from the Ministry. While Harry played, Remus could relax and sit for a change. Harry was a bundle of energy, and it only seemed to intensify when only one of his guardians was watching him.

"I'm going to play on the swings!" Harry announced happily when they reached the grass. The child dropped his guardian's hand and ran full force to a set of swings.

"Stay where I can see you, Harry!" Remus called, looking around the crowded park for a place to sit. He decided on a spot under a tree where he could see all the goings on in the playground. He sat with a groan – it felt good to be of his feet – and rested his head against the tree's trunk. He watched Harry swing higher and higher in the air until he got bored of it and jumped off into the sand, landing easily on his feet. Without a moment's hesitation, the boy ran to the monkey bars and began to cross them expertly. In the middle of the bars, he swung his legs until they wrapped around another bar. Hanging upside down, now facing Remus, Harry grinned, his face flushed as the blood rushed to his face.

"Look at me, Remus!" he yelled.

Remus smiled. "I see you!"

As Harry continued to play, Remus started to wish he'd thought to pick up a book from the little bookshop they'd been in earlier. Just as Remus was preparing to call for Harry and tell him it was time to go home, a woman and a little girl walked into the park. The little girl's features lit up as she watched Harry go down a slide.

"Harry!" she called happily, running to greet the boy.

Remus stood up slowly and watched as Harry smiled in a way he only did when one of his guardians came home. "Neenie!" Harry cried, running to the girl and hugging her.

When the children released each other, Harry looked around wildly and smiled even wider just before running into the waiting arms of the woman the girl arrived with. Remus raised an eyebrow. In the nine months he'd had Harry in his custody, he'd never seen the boy greet anybody with that kind of enthusiasm. Slowly, Remus walked to the happily chattering trio. He casually cleared his throat and stuck his hands in his pockets. Harry spun around and grinned. "This is Remus," he told the girls. "He's one of my guardians."

The woman stood slowly from where she was kneeling in front of Harry with an odd expression on her face. Her brown eyes were widened slightly, and her mouth had dropped open. She stared at a suddenly self-conscious Remus for a moment before shaking herself from a daze and clearing her throat. "Pleasure to meet you, Remus," she said, extending a hand for him to shake.

"The pleasure is all mine," Remus said, bemused, as Harry and the little girl – Neenie, he recalled – ran off to the swings.

The woman was still watching him with that odd look, but her brow was furrowed as though she was thinking hard about something. "He seems happy," she said finally.

"I'd like to think he is," Remus smiled as the two children started to race higher and higher on their swings. "May I ask how you know him?"

"Oh, we used to be neighbors. I babysat him for a few years before he moved away."

"Ah," Remus said, inwardly frowning. Harry had never mentioned another babysitter besides Arabella Figg, nor had he mentioned a little girl.

"Neenie was heartbroken when he left," she continued. "Cried for a week… She was begging me to find out where he'd gone so she could go see him."

"They must have been good friends," Remus smiled.

"Inseparable most days," she laughed. Remus' smile widened at the sound. "He was always so sweet. I could never figure out how he survived with those people he lived with." Remus' eyebrows shot up at the slight growl in her voice. "I don't want to think about what would have happened if it hadn't been for Neenie and me."

"So you knew the Dursleys, I take it," Remus said.

She scowled. "Unfortunately," she said a bit darkly. "Of course, they didn't deserve what happened to them."

Remus noticed her eyes gloss over a little. He felt the same way concerning the Vernon and Petunia Dursley – they may have been horrible to Harry, but they definitely hadn't deserved to be murdered. Even Sirius agreed with that…

"So how's Harry adjusting to life away from marvelous Privet Drive?" she asked.

Remus chuckled. "He's doing well. There were a few – er – bumps when he first came to live with us, but we managed." This, of course, was the understatement of the year, but Remus couldn't tell this woman – a Muggle, he assumed – what really happened when Harry first moved in with him and Sirius. "I've been teaching him to read and write, and he seems to be enjoying that. And when he's not in those lessons, he's planning his next prank on Sirius."

"Sirius?" she asked, furrowing her brow again. "He's that guy you were with when you picked Harry up last year?"

Remus nodded. "Yes, Sirius is Harry's godfather," he replied. "You saw us that day?"

"Yes, we did. Neenie and I were just pulling into the driveway when you three were walking down the street. Neenie thought the two of you were stealing him, but I-" She stopped suddenly, looking away. Remus raised an eyebrow. "Well, Petunia told me later you were friends of Harry's parents," she corrected herself – or so Remus thought that was what she was doing.

The two of them talked about Harry for a while longer. Remus discovered in that time that the little girl wasn't the woman's daughter as he originally thought, but her sister. Their parents died a few years back, and she gained custody of the girl.

She and Remus had a lot in common – they both had a love of learning that was outweighed only by the love of the children in their lives. She was intelligent, witty, and funny, and Remus found himself wanting to know more about her. Unfortunately, he caught a glimpse of his watch and realized Sirius would be home by now, and probably worried that his best friend and godson hadn't returned yet.

Harry didn't want to say goodbye to his friends so soon, but the woman wrote her phone number on a slip of paper and handed it to Remus. "Maybe the kids can get together sometime. I know Neenie would love that," she said, blushing a little.

Remus looked at the paper – 'Danger and Neenie', it said above their phone number. He looked at her questioningly. "Danger?"

She smiled. "Nickname – long story. My real name is Gertrude, but all my friends call me Danger."

"Well, since we're on a nickname basis, call me Moony – also a long story," Remus grinned.

He borrowed Danger's pen and wrote his own phone number on the slip of paper, tore it just under her neat handwriting, and handed that and the pen back to her. "Just in case," he said with a smile. "We've got to be going. It was wonderful meeting you, Danger. And, of course, Neenie," he added to the girl who'd hidden behind her sister's leg.

Harry waved goodbye to them as he and Remus left the park, and the boy wasn't the only one looking over his shoulder at the pair of them as Remus tried to find a safe place to Apparate to his cottage in Kent.

* * *

Sirius Black sat in his armchair with a sigh, laid his head on the back, and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. He'd been working relentlessly on the Lucius Malfoy case for months, and he'd had absolutely no leads whatsoever. Malfoy had just disappeared off the face of the planet after Voldemort fled back in September. Malfoy Manor had been rigged with magical detection devices that would tell the Ministry if any Death Eaters, not just old Lucius, decided to pay Narcissa and Draco Malfoy a visit.

Shortly following the near return of Lord Voldemort, Mad-Eye Moody retired from the Ministry of Magic and appointed Sirius his successor as Head Auror. Not even Sirius could figure out why Mad-Eye picked him – he'd only been back at the Ministry a few months – but for the most part, he'd been easily accepted as the leader of the Auror squads. He named Kingsley Shacklebolt his second-in-command – Kingsley was the only person in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Sirius could trust; the only person who didn't question his innocence after being released from Azkaban. (Of course, there was the small fact that Kingsley had been at Azkaban when Sirius was questioned under Veritaserum.)

There was a soft _pop_ in the cottage's kitchen followed by a giggle that could only belong to one person –

"Harry!" Sirius called happily, his headache and fatigue from the day forgotten immediately. He stood from his chair and started to enter the kitchen where he knelt and prepared himself for the impact of the eighty pound ball of energy. Sirius hugged his godson tightly and kissed the untidy hair on the boy's head before standing up with him in his arms. Harry started talking animatedly about what he and Remus did that day – Sirius thought he heard the words 'exploding quill' and 'finger-biting Golden Snitch', but he pretended not to.

"And guess what else!" Harry said excitedly as Sirius sat him on the kitchen counter. "We saw Danger and Neenie!"

"Did you?" Sirius asked, trying and failing to copy Harry's excitement. He turned to Remus who had been watching the conversation in increasing amusement. "What the hell are a Danger and a Neenie?"

Remus glared at him slightly. "Language in front of Harry," he said sternly. "Danger and Neenie are friends of Harry's. Former neighbors from Privet Drive. Danger babysat Harry for a few years."

"Really?" Sirius said, surprised. He didn't know Harry _had_ any friends. "Where did you meet them?"

"Playground in London," Remus said, taking two Butterbeers from the fridge and handing one to Sirius. "Just before we were getting ready to leave, they showed up."

"Can I get down?"

"So this Danger bloke," Sirius began, helping Harry off the counter. The boy immediately ran off to his bedroom.

"Not a bloke," Remus said, swallowing his Butterbeer.

Sirius grinned. "A woman, then?" he said slyly. Remus rolled his eyes. "Is she hot?"

"Sirius!" Remus said loudly. "What kind of question is that?"

"It's an honest question," Sirius insisted. "What's she look like?"

"No," Remus said, taking his Butterbeer into the living room. "I'm not having this conversation with you, Sirius."

"Why not?" Sirius asked, following him. Remus ignored him. "Oh, come on, Moony! Humor me, here! These are the types of things we're supposed to be talking about. Now, when was the last time you went out on a date," Sirius asked, sitting in his armchair.

Remus glared. "Don't," he warned.

"What happened to Naomi again?"

Remus' jaw clenched. "I told you," he said through gritted teeth. "She went to America after Lily and James died."

"But you never said why," Sirius said quietly. "You two were, what, two weeks from your wedding?"

Remus nodded stiffly. "She couldn't handle everything going on here. She didn't want to," he said sadly.

"Did she try?"

"No. She showed up here a week after the funeral and told me she was leaving. She took off her engagement ring and left, and I haven't seen her since."

"I'm sorry," Sirius said quietly and sincerely. "I know how much she meant to you… But you shouldn't let what happened with Naomi keep you from finding someone else."

"What does that have to do with anything? If you're talking about Danger, I just met her today, and if I do ever see her again, it will be because of Harry and her sister," Remus said flatly. "She's a Muggle, Sirius; she wouldn't want to get mixed up with me."

Sirius sighed. His best friend never did have any confidence when it came to women. "Okay, fair enough," he said. Remus nodded thankfully, thinking Sirius would drop the subject. They sat in silence for a few minutes, sipping their Butterbeer before Sirius grinned. "So, was she hot?" Remus threw a pillow at him.

* * *

Inside Number Seventeen, Privet Drive, Danger and Neenie were sitting down for dinner – Neenie was still talking happily about seeing Harry at the playground earlier that day. Danger pretended to listen as she scooped casserole onto her sister's plate, but in reality, her mind was on Harry's guardian, Remus.

For the past five years, since her parents' murders, Danger had been experiencing odd dreams featuring two men she'd never met in her life, a woman she hadn't seen in years, her baby sister, Harry Potter, another boy, and a dark-skinned little girl. Danger enjoyed the dreams – for the most part, they were happy; sometimes things happened to make her wake in a cold sweat.

The dreams made her feel as though her life was incomplete somehow. But earlier that day, when she'd met Remus, one of the empty spots in her head seemed to fill just a bit. She knew everything about him just from looking into his blue eyes. Of course, if she told him this, he'd think she was mental and would want nothing to do with her. Until that day, Danger even thought herself a bit mental – witches and wizards and werewolves didn't exist. But if Remus existed and so did Harry, maybe those other things did too…

She turned to look at the small cork board hanging next to her telephone that had Remus and Harry's phone number held to it by a purple thumb tack. She wondered what would happen if she called and asked him to join him and Neenie for dinner one night – Harry would, of course, be invited. Would anything come of it?

Sighing, she turned back to her baby sister and began eating. She could daydream once Neenie was in bed.

**AN: **For those who haven't read whydoyouneedtoknow's stuff, any ideas who Neenie is? You'll kick yourselves when you find out - I did. Thank you to Anne for looking this over and fixing the few things that needed to be fixed, and for approving the chapter. I'm dealing with your characters here, and if I screw up, please don't hesitate to tell me. Any suggestions, comments, or ideas are very, VERY welcome!

Please review if you've read. I'll be working on the next chapter within the next few days and have it out once I'm happy with it. I've got a one-shot I'm working on, and I should have that done tomorrow. Till then!


	2. Surprises

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Two_

The Leaky Cauldron was full at lunchtime a few days later, with witches and their small children out for a day's shopping in Diagon Alley and Ministry officials sick of eating cafeteria food. Sirius Flooed into the pub and made his way through the crowd, looking for a place to sit. The only unoccupied spot he could find was a stool at the bar. He sat and nodded hello to Tom the barkeep, who said he'd be right over, and looked around the pub. Sirius had been well trained by Mad-Eye Moody to have a certain sense of paranoia. While Sirius' paranoia was nowhere near Mad-Eye's level, he always made certain to gauge his surroundings and get a good sense of what he was dealing with.

Right after he ordered his lunch, he felt a tug on his robes. He turned and looked around, and then down, and spotted a small girl, no older than four, smiling up at him. "Hello," he said to her, noting how much the girl resembled… _Stop!_ He thought firmly. "Can I help you with something?" he asked the girl.

"My mummy wanted me to give this to you," she said in a very sweet tone, holding out a folded piece of parchment. Sirius took it and before he could ask the girl anything else, she ran off between the crowds of diners to a corner table. He tried to see who was sitting there, but he or she (she, Sirius assumed, since the girl said "my mummy") was sitting back in the shadows. The girl climbed into a chair and leaned over to whisper something into the shadows.

The Head Auror raised an eyebrow and unfolded the parchment. Though it was only seven words long, he had to read the note written in elegant script five times before he could fully comprehend it.

'_What do you think of our daughter?'_

Sirius snapped his head back to where he'd seen the girl run off to, confusion written all over his face. He didn't have a daughter; it was completely impossible! Well, not _completely_ impossible, but he would have known if he had a daughter, or any kid for that matter. He thought about who the girl looked like, and wondered if someone neglected to tell him something. If this dark-skinned little girl was his daughter, she had to have been born after he'd gone to Azkaban. She was adorable, this girl was, with her tight braids, bright smile, and silver gray eyes –

Sirius blinked. The only people he'd ever met with eyes like that were members of the Black family – it was one of the traits that had been passed through the generations without fail. He thought vaguely that this could have been a prank set up by Remus, but if it was, Sirius' best friend would be a dead man very soon – Sirius wasn't finding this the least bit humorous.

He folded the note and stood, deciding to get to the bottom of this matter – maybe the girl's eyes were a coincidence, and she'd delivered the note to the wrong person. Slowly, he walked past the other patrons of the bar, his hand instinctively sneaking into his robes for his wand. The little girl seemed to be shaking in excitement as he approached. "Excuse me," he said to the person in the shadows. "I think you've made a mistake…"

The woman in the shadows sat forward and Sirius felt his knees go weak and all the color drain from his face. He reached out blindly and pulled out a chair to sit before he collapsed onto the floor. Sitting across from him was the one and only woman to ever have managed to convince Sirius Black to settle down. Their relationship had been rough to say the very least – only for the last two years before he'd gone to Azkaban had they stopped arguing long enough to realize they couldn't live without each other.

"Aletha?" he whispered weakly.

She smiled. "Surprise," she said with tears in her eyes.

"But… you can't… Remus said… Aletha?"

Aletha laughed. "Yes, it's me, Sirius."

"Remus said you were in America for Healer training…"

"I was."

"But you're here."

"I am."

"I… Oh God, I'm confused."

"Not hard to do, that." Aletha grinned. "Look, maybe we should go somewhere and talk. Meghan and I have a room here–"

"Meghan?" he said quietly.

Aletha looked over to the girl beside her. Sirius tore his eyes away from Aletha and looked at the girl again. She waved happily, and he tried to smile back at her, but his face muscles had forgotten how to work. "Oh," he managed to squeak out. "Yeah, let's go talk. I'd rather the entire pub didn't see me faint."

Aletha smiled at him, then picked up the little girl – Meghan – and led him through the parlor and up the stairs. Sirius' mind was completely blank as he walked up the stairs. He wasn't even clear on how he made it to Aletha's room without passing out. Once they were inside the room Aletha had rented, Aletha sent Meghan into another room to play.

"You look like you need to sit," Aletha said quietly. Sirius nodded numbly, but didn't move. Aletha took his hand and led him to a sofa where they sat together.

He turned to face her. "What's going on?" he asked faintly.

She smiled. "That wasn't exactly the welcome I'd expected from you," she said, taking his hand.

He realized their lips were only centimeters apart, though he had no recollection on when that had happened. _What the hell do I care_? he thought before crushing his lips to hers.

They kissed fiercely for long minutes, and Sirius never wanted it to end. But the need for air very rudely interrupted, and they had to break apart. Breathing heavily, Sirius opened his eyes to look into her brown ones, tracing a finger down her cheek.

"I thought you'd left," he breathed.

She nodded. "I did, and I hadn't planned on coming back, but, well, news travels slow to America."

"So you heard about what happened with Peter and everything?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice catching. "Oh God, Sirius… I had no idea. If I did… I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he said numbly. "I'm just… shocked to see you. I never thought I'd see you again."

"Well, you probably wouldn't have if it hadn't been for that dream I had the other night."

"Dream?"

"You're going to think I'm mental."

"I've always thought you were mental."

Aletha slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Do you want to hear this or not?"

Sirius grinned. "Sorry. Please go on."

"About a month ago, I started having these dreams," she began. "At first, I didn't think anything of them – I figured I'd just had too much chocolate before I went to bed. But the dreams kept coming, and more often. I dreamed of you and Harry and Meghan and Remus and of a friend I haven't seen since before I went to Hogwarts. We were a family, but we had another word for it. And there were two other children, one who looked like my friend, and one I've never seen before. Well, the dreams started getting more detailed. They started showing me things that I'd never thought would happen, like you being released from Azkaban. And you and Remus raising Harry. Then, last week I had a dream that you'd defeated Voldemort by blowing up his cauldron with a Reductor curse–"

"Wait, you dreamed that?" Sirius asked, looking confused.

She nodded. "I told you they were odd dreams. Anyway, I got curious, and I went to the library and started looking things up that happened in London over the past year. I found all these newspaper clippings about you, and Harry, and Peter. So I knew the dreams had to be true. I packed Meghan up, told my landlord I'd be back in a few weeks, and got the first flight out here."

"Oh," Sirius said quietly. "You're right, I do think you're mental… Ow," he added at Aletha's slap. "Can I ask you a question now?"

"Sure," she said, a knowing smile on her face.

"What's all this _our _daughter business?"

"I didn't know I was pregnant before I left for America. I found out about two weeks after I got there, and nine months later, Meghan came."

"Meghan," Sirius said, liking how the name rolled of his tongue.

"Meghan Lily Black," Aletha said softly.

"So she's about five, then?"

"In June," she confirmed.

"You're saying I'm a father?"

"Well, there's not really a chance of it being anybody else," she said with a grin.

Sirius turned to look at the room Meghan had gone off to, his brain still trying to comprehend all this information. He'd been a father for nearly four years, and he'd had no idea whatsoever. "How?" was the first thing that fell from his mouth.

"How are you a father? Sirius, somehow I don't think you need a lecture on the birds and bees." She grinned, trying hard not to laugh.

He shook his head slowly. "How did I never know? Does anyone back here know?"

"Nobody," she said. "I thought about writing to Remus to tell him, but I never knew what to say to him."

"Oh."

"You're saying that a lot."

"Sorry," he said. "I don't know what else to say. This is all so… sudden…"

"Do you want to meet her?"

"What?" he said, stunned. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, she doesn't even know me. What if she doesn't like me?"

"You're kidding right? Sirius, I've told her everything there is to know about you, even before I knew you were innocent. She wants to meet you."

Before Sirius could object, Aletha was calling Meghan back into the room. He stared at her with wide-eyes, trying to memorize every detail of her. "Hello, Meghan," he said hoarsely, holding out a shaking hand to her.

"Hi," she said, taking his hand. He marveled at how small and soft her hands were, and wondered if she played piano like her mum. As he stared into the gray eyes that were so much like his, he wanted to know everything there was to know about this gorgeous little girl. He wanted her to like him more than anything in the world. He wanted Aletha to still be in love with him. He wanted them to be the family he and Aletha always wanted. But most of all, he wanted this dream to last forever.

* * *

Remus yawned widely as he watched Harry play with some Muggle toy cars on the coffee table in front of him. He hadn't slept well the night before following an odd dream he'd had. He wasn't sure what part of the dream was odder: the fact that he'd been marrying Danger, the woman he'd just met a few days ago, or the fact that they were married in the Hogwarts Great Hall, and Dumbledore was giving the bride away to Remus. As the newlyweds had their first dance, Remus had looked into Danger's warm brown eyes and found he knew everything there was to know about her. Like her full name being Gertrude Granger.

When he woke, just after they'd shared the most amazing kiss Remus had ever experienced, dream or not, Remus wondered how much of the information he'd made up – he didn't know anything about the woman except that she hated the Dursleys, had a sister, and adored Harry. His mind must have must have only made it seem like they were perfect for each other.

_You've already gone through this, Moony_, he thought. _She's a Muggle. A beautiful Muggle, but a Muggle nonetheless, and there's too much about you that you'd have to explain. You're a wizard and a werewolf, and she'd never want to get her sister involved with you, so get over it._

It was depressing really, to think he'd finally met another woman he wouldn't mind getting to know better, but he'd never get a chance with her. Correction, he couldn't _let_ himself have a chance with her.

"Remus, can I have a Chocolate Frog?" Harry asked, breaking Remus from his thoughts.

The wizard blushed a little and cleared his throat. "Um, sure, Harry." He stood and led the six-year-old to the kitchen and dug around in the cabinet, looking for his secret stash of sweets. He raised an eyebrow when he only found two Chocolate Frogs and half a box of Bertie Bott's Beans. "Looks like Sirius has been in here," he said, passing out the frogs to Harry.

The pair when to sit at the table when the phone rang. Remus turned and crossed the kitchen again to answer it. "Hello?"

"Um, hello, may I speak with Remus?" said the nervous voice on the other end.

Remus' stomach flipped over a bit. "This is he," he said, wondering why his heart was racing like it was.

"Oh, hi, this is Danger. We met at the playground a few days ago…?"

"Right, hello, how are you?"

"I'm very well, thank you."

In the background, Remus could hear a whisper that sounded like "Do it!"

"Shh!" Danger said to the other voice. "Sorry," she said to Remus. "Um, Neenie and I were thinking about going to the fair in London this weekend, and we wanted to see if Harry'd like to go. I mean, you're invited, too, of course, if you'd like to go," she said in a rush.

Remus felt himself smile widely, regardless of his earlier thoughts. "Yes, I think Harry would love that," he said. _And I wouldn't mind, either_, he added in his mind.

"Great," Danger said. Remus would almost hear her smile. "Well, we'll meet you and Harry at the fairgrounds on Saturday, say, around noon?"

"I'm looking forward to it," Remus said honestly.

"Okay. Until Saturday, then?"

"Until Saturday."

"Okay, well, bye, then."

"Goodbye."

Remus hung up the phone, unable to get the large smile off his face.

"What happened, Remus?" Harry asked. Remus turned to him and found the boy's face covered in chocolate.

Remus grinned. "How would you like to go to the fair with Danger and Neenie on Saturday?"

"Really?" Harry said excitedly.

"Yup! We can–"

"Remus!" called a deep voice from the living room. Remus raised and eyebrow and walked to the fireplace. Kingsley Shacklebolt's head was hanging in the middle of the orange flames. "Tell me Sirius is there, please," the second-in-command of the Auror squads said calmly.

"Why would he be here?" Remus asked slowly.

Kingsley's head only nodded. "Remus, I'm going to kill your best friend," he said lightly.

"You wouldn't be the first to threaten that, but may I ask why before you do it?"

"He left for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron three hours ago, and no one's heard from him since. I've sent two Aurors out there to look for him. Tom says Sirius was there, but took off before he even got his Butterbeer," Kingsley explained.

Remus opened his mouth to reply, but he heard a _pop_ in the kitchen, followed by a happy squeal, and a barking laugh. "He's here now," Remus said flatly. "I'll let him know you're looking for him, shall I?"

Kingsley rolled his eyes, smiled, and disappeared from the fireplace.

Remus stood and made his way to the kitchen, wondering what could make Sirius skive off work.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he took in the scene of his kitchen. Sirius had Harry in his arms and was standing beside Aletha Freeman, who had a small girl in her arms. For a split second, Remus thought they looked like the perfect family. But then curiosity set in. Aletha had left five years ago, and if memory served him correctly, she hadn't had a child then. "Er, hello," Remus said in confusion.

"Moony!" Sirius said happily. "Smashing to see you, old boy!"

Remus raised an eyebrow. Obviously, Sirius was drunk. He turned to Aletha and smiled. "Hello, Aletha. Long time no see."

"Hi, Remus," she said, trying not to laugh at Sirius.

"And who's this?" Remus asked, smiling at the little girl.

Sirius' smile, if possible, widened. "Remus, I'd like to introduce you to Meghan, my daughter."

Remus blinked and made his way to the kitchen table before his legs gave out.


	3. Too Much Thinking

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Three_

It usually took a lot to make Remus Lupin's mind reel in confusion. He took pride in being able to catch onto things rather quickly, and he enjoyed the fact that he could figure out what was happening in his world easily. But the last few days had involved situations that made Remus wonder if he was losing his mind.

First, he'd met a wonderful woman; while he really enjoyed talking to her, he was reluctant to think about starting anything other than a platonic relationship with her. Then he'd dreamed he was marrying her, and that he knew every detail of her life, almost better than he knew his own. After that, though he'd convinced himself he wasn't going to be able to forge a relationship with her, she'd called to invite him to a fair with her and her sister.

And if that hadn't been enough, his best friend arrived home and announced he had a daughter with the woman who threatened to do things much worse than a Dementor could ever manage when he was arrested and taken to Azkaban.

"So I guess this means you never went through with the divorce, Aletha?" Remus asked the witch who was sitting so close to Sirius that she might as well have been sitting on his lap.

"Divorce?" Sirius asked sharply, looking at her. "You wanted a divorce?"

"I thought about it," she told the wizards. "After you were taken away, Sirius, I really wanted no connection with you. I thought you'd betrayed us, and I hated every fiber of your being."

"What changed your mind?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Meghan," she said simply. "When I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't go through with filing all the paperwork. I don't know why, but I just knew I'd never lose my connection with you because of her, so I just went on with life, still married to the man I thought to be the scum of the earth–"

"Thanks for that," Sirius murmured sarcastically.

"And tried to pretend none of it ever happened," Aletha continued, squeezing Sirius' hand. "I never told Meghan what happened to you, only that you'd gone away and she'd probably never get to meet you. I told her all the good things about you. As much as I hated you, I didn't want my daughter to know that feeling."

Remus watched Sirius wince painfully when Aletha said she'd hated him. "Aletha," Remus said quietly. "You said something about a dream you had, that it was how you knew Sirius was innocent…?"

Aletha nodded, and told Remus about her dreams.

"Hmm," he said thoughtfully. "I had a dream last night too. It was about that woman I met the other day, Sirius, the one from the playground."

"What's her name? Danger?"

"Danger?" Aletha said in surprise. "Danger _Granger_?" Sirius burst out laughing and both his best friend and wife glared at him, the witch adding a slap to his head.

Once Sirius' laugh faded off into a snicker, Remus looked back to Aletha. "You know her?"

"Know her? She was my best friend before Hogwarts! I left for school, and when I came home for the summer, her family had moved. I haven't seen her since… But she was in my dream too, come to think of it."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "So we're both having dreams about the same person? I wonder if that's a coincidence."

"Well, what happened in your dream, Moony?" Sirius asked, a grin still on his face.

"Er," Remus said, blushing a bit. He knew if he told this to Sirius he'd never hear the end of it. "I, um, I don't really remember actually."

"Wait, let's make sure we're talking about the same person, here," Aletha said.

Sirius turned to her with a straight face. "How many people in the world do you think are called Danger Granger?"

"It's not her real name, idiot," Aletha said. "Her real name is–"

"Gertrude," Remus finished quietly for her.

She nodded. "Right, but she never tells anyone that, not since I came up with her nickname… How did you know?"

"It was in my dream."

"Thought you didn't remember?" Sirius grinned.

Remus' blush deepened and he could feel the heat radiating from his face. "Er…" he said intelligently.

"Sirius, leave him alone," Aletha said. Remus sent her a grateful smile. "So these dreams," she went on, ignoring Sirius' sniggers at Remus' face. "Do you think they're just coincidences?"

Remus looked as thoughtful as he could with Sirius sitting across from him, ready to bust him for one little mishap. "I don't know. You were dreaming about what happened in the past, and I dreamed about­–" He broke off, looking warily at Sirius' grin.

"Yes?" Sirius pressed.

Remus cleared his throat. "Anyway, Aletha, I'm not sure…"

Sirius' grin only widened. "Maybe Remus' dream was wishful thinking."

"Sirius, please don't make me hurt you in front of your wife," Remus threatened.

"Oh, please don't let me stop you," Aletha grinned. Sirius stuck out his tongue at her; she immediately pulled her wand and threatened to curse it off.

Laughing, Remus looked around the living room, finding it lacking two people that were there before. "Did either of you see the kids slip off?" he asked.

Sirius turned to look down the hall. "They're probably in Harry's room," he said, standing and making his way to check if he was right. Remus and Aletha followed.

Indeed, Harry and Meghan were there, playing quietly with some of Harry's toys. Remus noticed a smile on Sirius' face that he'd never seen the Auror wear as he watched Meghan – the only time he'd seen it in the past was on James Potter.

"Is this who I think it is?" Aletha walked into the room and knelt beside the kids, picking up a charmed Mister Potato Head – it was Sirius' favorite of all of Harry's Muggle toys.

"That's Professor Potato Head," Harry said, looking at what Aletha was holding. "I saw him at Hogwarts. I didn't like him much, though."

Sirius laughed. "That's two of us, buddy."

"Who is it?" Meghan asked interestedly, taking the toy from her mother and examining its long greasy hair and hooked nose.

"Somebody we used to go to school with, honey," Aletha said, sending Sirius a look over her head – he'd opened his mouth to say something very different.

* * *

The rest of the evening for Remus was spent sitting back and watching his best friend attempt to divide all his attention equally among his wife, daughter, and godson. It was rather odd to think of Sirius as a father, but if his time with Harry was any indication, he'd be excellent in the role. The Head Auror was absolutely smitten with Meghan – she seemed much brighter than the average almost-four-year-old, and Remus knew that it was Aletha's influence.

As the sun began to set, Remus started to wonder what Aletha would do in regards to her living in America and Sirius being in England. Sirius wouldn't let them be separated again, so either he or Aletha would undoubtedly pick up and move at some point. And if it was Sirius doing the packing and moving, Harry would most likely go with him, since Sirius was Harry's legal guardian.

_That_ thought wiped off the smile Remus had on his face from watching Harry and Meghan tackle Sirius to the floor. After everything they'd been through in less than a year, there was now a slight possibility that the trio of Sirius, Harry, and Remus could be broken up. Of course, Remus could think of no reasons, save his own selfish ones, that Sirius should stay if he and Aletha made the decision to go to America and live. He had a family now, and Remus wouldn't be the one to break that up – he'd never seen Sirius as happy as he was now. What kind of friend would Remus be if he suggested Sirius stay in England, away from his wife and daughter in America?

_Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren't you, Moony? s_aid an amused voice in his head. _It hasn't even been twenty-four hours, and you're already thinking about this kind of thing? Stop thinking and enjoy yourself for a change…_

As odd as it was to admit, the voice was right; he was getting ahead of the situation, and thinking too much. But for five miserable years, he'd been alone, ever since a week after Lily and James' funeral when Naomi had come to break his heart and leave him.

Great, now he was getting depressed. Sighing, he stood from the sofa and quietly went into the kitchen for a fresh Butterbeer. He stood at the window, looking out at the backyard wondering what, exactly, his problem was. Sirius was the happiest he'd ever been in his life, and Remus sat around thinking about his Death Eater ex-fiancée and things that hadn't even been suggested yet. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice somebody else enter the room and lean against the counter beside him.

"Are you okay, Remus?"

Remus started and turned to see Aletha looking at him in both amusement and concern. "I'm fine," he said, trying to smile. It was obvious she wasn't buying it – she always could read him like a bloody book; perhaps that was why they'd been good friends in school. "Honestly, I'm okay. I was just thinking that I'd never seen Sirius so happy before. Even after he was released from Azkaban and we went to get Harry from Lily's sister… It's amazing what a few hours can make."

Aletha smiled, but it faded a moment later. "I wanted to ask you about that, actually… Why is it that nobody contacted me after he was released? I would have been back here months ago with Meghan had I known."

Remus sighed. "Well, that's a bit complicated," he began. "Don't think that Sirius hasn't thought about contacting you. I think he was afraid that you wouldn't believe him, or maybe that you still would have blamed him for what happened to Lily and James." Aletha opened her mouth to retort, but Remus held a hand out to silence her. "He's still blaming himself for everything. He thinks if it hadn't been for him suggesting Peter as Secret Keeper, they'd be alive. I've tried to tell him none of us could have known about what Peter was, but I don't think he believes me…"

"I heard Peter got the Dementor's Kiss," Aletha whispered.

Remus nodded gravely. "He did. Sirius and I were there to see it, actually. I'll never get those images out of my head." He shook his head to clear out the images that floated to the surface of his mind. "I'm still not sure that Peter deserved it." Aletha raised an incredulous eyebrow. "What he did was awful, and even that's a major understatement, but there's still the part of me that remembers the boy I knew in school." He shook his head again. "I still have trouble believing he could do what he did to Lily and James, but when I do think about it, I think he deserves much worse."

"Where is he now?" Aletha asked curiously. "St. Mungo's?"

"No," Remus said. "He's in Azkaban. Mad-Eye Moody decided Peter deserved to be there for not only what he did to Lily, James, and those Muggles, but also for what he did to Sirius. Sirus spent five years in that place, and he was innocent the entire time. And then you add kidnapping Harry and attempting to bring Voldemort back to power…"

"Kidnapping Harry?"

Remus stared at her for a moment. "You didn't know about that," he said. She shook her head slowly. "On the Full moon in August last year, Sirius took Harry to Hogwarts. They'd gone down to Hagrid's hut for a bit, and Harry left behind a stuffed animal that he still carries just about everywhere. At some point during the night, Harry realized his stag was missing, tried to wake Sirius but couldn't, and went out to get it himself. Peter was waiting in the forest to sneak into Hogwarts to steal Harry, but then Harry walked right into his hands."

"Oh my God," Aletha said quietly. "And that's when Peter tried to bring Voldemort back?"

Remus nodded. "The following night, actually. Sirius caught up to Peter just before the ritual was complete and I think you know the rest of that story." Aletha nodded pensively. "But you asked a different question, and I want to give you the answer," he went on. "Besides the fact that he didn't know how you would react, despite my numerous reassurances that you'd be as thrilled, if not more, to hear of his innocence as I was, he's still trying to get used to normal life. There're still a lot of people who think him guilty, and he deals with that on a daily basis. I don't think he wanted to bring you into that. It hasn't been easy for him, Aletha."

"Well, even still," Aletha said. "I could have been here to help him. He should have known how I'd react to hearing the truth. I never wanted to think him guilty in the first place, you knew that."

"I did," Remus said with a sigh. "I'm sorry it's taken this long, really I am."

Aletha smiled slightly. "It's okay. I'm here now, and I know what's really happened."

Remus smiled back. "Meghan seems like a wonderful child," he commented.

Happy for the change of subject, Aletha's smile widened. "She is," she said. "She has a lot of Sirius in her – for example, his inclination to play pranks on me while I'm asleep."

Remus laughed. "Just a warning, that's one of the many things he still hasn't outgrown, and he's taught Harry to do the same at least twice a week."

Aletha rolled her eyes fondly and looked at the clock. "We should probably be getting back to the Leaky Cauldron; it's nearly Meghan's bedtime."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "You actually think we're going to let you stay at the Leaky Cauldron? We've got plenty of room here."

"I didn't want to impose," Aletha said.

The wizard shook his head. "You'd be doing no such thing. Why don't you go tell Sirius that you're taking Meghan back to London and see how he reacts."

Finally, Aletha gave in and Remus happily went to conjure a small bed in Harry's room for Meghan to sleep on. In the morning, if they woke before the adults, they could keep each other occupied for a bit. Aletha told Sirius they'd be staying the night, and the Head Auror's eyes lit up mischievously, a large grin spreading across his face. The witch only rolled her eyes, but the same glint was in them, and she and Sirius went back to the Leaky Cauldron to gather her and Meghan's things.

While they were gone, Harry and Meghan wandered into Remus' room to ask if they could have some ice cream. "That sounds like a great idea," Remus smiled, leading them both by the hand to the kitchen. Harry climbed eagerly into his chair at the table and Meghan sat next to him. "What kind of ice cream do you like, Meghan?" Remus asked, looking through the freezer.

"Chocolate," the little girl said happily, her legs swinging from the edge of her chair.

"I'm afraid all we have is vanilla right now. It seems Sirius has gotten to that as well. But I think I can conjure up some hot fudge… How does that sound?"

Both children replied enthusiastically, and Remus began to dish out three bowls of ice cream. He pointed his wand into each bowl and covered the vanilla scoops with hot fudge as promised. The three of them enjoyed their dessert, the wizard listening to Harry and Meghan exchanging stories – Meghan told them all about America and her friends; Harry in turn told her about Hogwarts, Hagrid, and the giant squid that lived in the lake. When they'd finished half an hour later, Sirius and Aletha hadn't returned to the cottage yet, but Remus knew better than to worry – they'd probably become a bit preoccupied…

Sensing Meghan was starting to grow tired, Remus called it time for bed. Regardless of the large yawns both children had emitted only a second before, they protested, saying they weren't the least bit tired. But the moment they were in their beds, and Remus made to turn off the light, both of them were sound asleep. Chuckling to himself, he closed the door, leaving it open a crack, and went back to the living room to wait for Sirius and Aletha.

His wait wasn't a long one; just as he opened a book to pass the time, the fireplace lit up in green flames and Aletha emerged, carrying a bag. Sirius was just behind her, carrying three more.

"Honestly, woman," Sirius grumbled, setting the bag's down. "How long did you plan on staying? Three years?"

Aletha smirked. "Aw, the big Head Auror is having trouble with the mean little bags."

"It's not the bags I'm having trouble with. What did you put in here, bricks?"

"Yes, Sirius, just for you, I filled our bags with bricks, because I just knew you'd have to carry them," Aletha said sarcastically. "Hey, Remus, how'd everything go here?"

"Excellent," Remus smiled. "The kids had some ice cream – I hope you don't mind, and now they're asleep."

Aletha stared at him. "You got Meghan to sleep after ice cream? What's your secret?"

"He uses sleeping charms," Sirius said collapsing into his armchair. "They last twelve hours… Brilliance, I tell you."

"Liar," Remus said. "They only last for six. Actually, they both seemed pretty exhausted. They both had rather eventful days."

"They had eventful days?" Sirius asked with a raised eyebrow. "I just found out I have a daughter. How do you think I feel?"

"Are you complaining?"

"Not at all," he said, eyeing Aletha's own raised eyebrow. "Couldn't be happier."

Remus grinned at Aletha.

The three talked for another hour or so, then, stifling a yawn, Remus told the couple he'd see them in the morning and headed down the hall to his own room. He peeked in on Meghan and Harry, who were still fast asleep, and smiled. If Aletha decided to stay in England instead of going back to America, Remus could see the two kids becoming fast friends.

_And if you and Danger get together, there's Neenie to add to that equation…_ said a sly voice in his head. Remus raised an eyebrow at himself and entered his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

* * *

**AN: **Okay, so I lied. But I didn't know I was going to lie until this morning when whydoyouneedtoknow offered to beta this so I could get it posted (personally, I think she offered just so she could read the chapter first...) So many thanks to whydoyouneedtoknow for doing this on short notice! It's definitely much appreciated! Enjoy the chapter, kids, and please review! 


	4. Lamps and Fairs

**AN:** Before you guys read this chapter, I just want everyone to know how close this story was to being deleted last night. If it hadn't been for whydoyouneedtoknow, it would have been gone. But again, she's convinced me to stick with it. Thank her. Not me. And also thank her for editing and fixing a few things in the chapter. Thank you, Anne!

* * *

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Four_

_He was walking through the corridors of a place only familiar to him in his dreams, wearing a pair of dark red silk pajamas, though he knew for a fact that when he'd gone to bed they'd been green. In one arm, cuddled close to his chest, was a stuffed lion; he'd never seen it in real life, but in his dreams he carried it with him at all times. He followed the lantern-lit corridors expertly until he reached a large dining hall with a round table set in the middle of it. Normally, it would have looked quite out of place in a room this magnificent, but when he spotted the faces smiling at him from the table, he thought nothing of it._

_He grinned widely and ran the remaining distance to them, his bare feet making small slapping noises on the floor. There was a chair waiting for him between a man with sandy-colored hair and a woman with bushy brown hair. He didn't know any of the names of the people at the table, but that never really mattered to him._

_With a snap of fingers belonging to a man with shoulder-length black hair, a feast appeared before them, and they all began to eat and talk and laugh, just as they had in the other dreams. Across from him, a dark-skinned woman was trying not to laugh at something the long-haired man said as she cut up the food of the boy with glasses. A girl with the same bushy hair as the other woman was happily talking with the sandy-haired man, and a dark-skinned little girl seemed to hang on their every word._

_For as long as he could remember, he'd been having dreams like this one. He knew they'd never come true, but he liked the way he felt when he was with these people. He felt like he belonged, like they were his family. That, of course, was not true. This little boy's family consisted of his mother and his father; the latter hadn't been seen in months, since last September to be precise. So now his mother took care of him with the help of the family house-elf. _

_He'd once told the house-elf about his dreams, only because he wanted to tell somebody, and he knew the house-elf would never tell his mother. The house-elf told him he shouldn't be thinking the things he was – like wanting to go and find the people from his dreams and go live with them instead of his mother. There was something about the dream-people that intrigued him and made him want more. _

_A few nights after he'd talked with the house-elf, his mother asked him about the dreams – apparently, she'd overheard him telling the house-elf. At first, he denied ever having any sort of dream like that – his father always told him that he should be proud of what he was and where he came from, and not want to be any different. He knew that if his father was to find out about these dreams somehow, he'd be in serious trouble. So he told his mother she hadn't heard what she thought she had._

_But she told him, in a voice he'd never heard her use, that his father would never know of this, and that if he liked, he should continue to dream of these people. She only wanted him to be happy, after all, and if these dreams made him happy, then she wouldn't try and stop them. _

_Their family hadn't been the same since his father left; people gave them strange looks when they went out, and people from the Ministry of Magic had come to their home to do searches for things he had no idea about. The only thing that he knew was that his father had done something involving the Boy-Who-Lived and the Dark Lord. Those were two titles he'd known about since he was very small. His father told him how great and powerful the Dark Lord, but he wasn't sure he liked the Dark Lord. From the stories his father had told, the Dark Lord did bad things to people like those in his dreams – he knew some of those people were Mudbloods. _

_So after his father had had to run away from a man called Black, his mother insisted that he needed all the happiness in his life that he could find. And the dreams made him happy. He could sit and watch the people in his dreams talk for hours and not actually do any talking himself. He never felt out of place with them like he sometimes did with his father around. And when the other three children were sent off to play, they'd always drag him along, just like he was one of them…_

_He never wanted the dreams to end, but he knew that when the sun rose, the house-elf would come to wake him, and he'd have to wait until bedtime the next night so he and the other kids could finish their game of hide-and-seek. And just like every time he woke from one of these dreams, he'd tell himself that one day, maybe, they would come true…_

* * *

A pair of brown eyes appeared over the side of a bed to look at a sleeping face framed in bushy brown hair. Hermione Granger, more commonly known as Neenie, sighed at her sister, wondering about the best way to wake her today.

In a few hours, Danger and Neenie would set off for the London fair to meet Harry and his guardian Remus, and though Neenie was well aware that it was only seven in the morning, she also knew that if Danger didn't wake soon to help Neenie get all of their household chores finished, they'd be late.

"Danger," Neenie whispered. She wasn't too disappointed when her initial attempt failed miserably and Danger continued to sleep. Neenie went to the end of the bed and climbed up easily, crawling over to her sister, and sitting on her legs. "Danger, get up," she tried again, a little louder. Still no response. Rolling her eyes, she knew what she had to do, even though she knew Danger would be grumpy for a bit afterwards – that was a risk Neenie was willing to take…

"DANGER!" she yelled.

This got results. Danger sat straight up, her eyes wide and her hair flying in all directions. She looked around for a minute and then heard the all-too familiar giggles of her baby sister. With narrowed eyes, Danger looked to where Neenie lay laughing hard on the bed. "Hermione Jane Granger," Danger said severely. Her sister continued to laugh. "You're in for it now, young miss…"

Following an attack that involved Danger's fingers and Neenie's very ticklish ribs, the two sisters collapsed on the bed. "Now what, may I ask, was the point in waking me up like that?" Danger asked in a mock-irritated voice – her real irritation had faded shortly after hearing the infectious laugh of her sister.

Still red in the face from laughing, Neenie sat up. "The fair is today," she said in a tone that suggested Danger was being thick.

"Are you sure?" Danger asked, furrowing her brow in thought. "I thought I heard that they cancelled the fair…"

"They did not," Neenie said, rolling her eyes again. "And if you don't hurry, you're not going to get to see Remus." She had a very smug look on her face that made Danger have to fight to push down a blush – one should never let one's little sister see one blush.

Danger raised an eyebrow. "First of all, I'm not going to see Remus; I'm taking you so you and Harry can see each other. And second, how do you remember the names of people you met once, over a week ago?"

Neenie gave her a look that said she knew something her sister didn't. _Not entirely impossible,_ Danger thought. _She gets more chances to read these days than I do, what with work and all. And she's reading things that I didn't even understand at her age._

But instead of explaining, Neenie hopped off the bed and went to the bedroom door. "Breakfast, please," she said happily.

"You actually think you're getting breakfast after the way you woke me up?" Danger asked.

Neenie shrugged. "If you don't want to make it, I will." And before Danger's eyes could even widen properly at the threat, Neenie ran down the stairs and to the kitchen.

"Neenie, if you touch the stove–" Danger yelled through the house. All she got in response was another set of giggles. Wondering idly if Remus would trade Harry for Neenie while they were at the fair, Danger quickly got dressed and made her way downstairs, hoping her sister hadn't made too much of a mess.

* * *

Sirius was learning quickly that with the combined talents of Harry and Meghan in the same house, his chances of sleeping late on weekends were fading into nothing. Not that he was complaining – well, maybe a little, but anyone would complain when they woke up on a Saturday morning just after seven a.m. to the sound of a crash and then silence, followed moments later by small hurried footsteps.

The casualty had been a lamp – a very ugly lamp – that Remus had found in some boxes in his basement. He said his grandmother had given it to his mother one Christmas, and after displaying it for about a month, his mother stowed it away in a box. She'd told her mother-in-law that Remus and his father had been horse-playing and had knocked it over. Sirius always did like Remus' mother…

Both Meghan and Harry claimed total innocence in the lamp's fate until Aletha used some sort of raised-eyebrow-interrogation that Sirius was sure she'd learned from Remus. The result was Harry breaking down – much to Meghan's annoyance; apparently, she'd become immune to her mother's raised eyebrow (Sirius would have to find out how she'd done that) – and told the adults that he and Meghan had been playing with Harry's charmed dragons. It seemed that while racing the Hungarian Horntail and the Norwegian Ridgeback, the two children turned a corner too fast and hit the end table that held the lamp – the results being the crash Sirius, Aletha, and Remus had all woken up to.

Since it was Remus' lamp, Aletha left Meghan's punishment in his hands. After a display of the most adorable puppy dog eyes Sirius had ever seen in his life, Remus sentenced the pair to breakfast dishes that morning to make up for it. Meghan seemed rather relieved by the ruling, but Harry had bowed his head and nodded as though waiting for something worse.

Later, Sirius and Remus recalled that while Harry lived with the Dursleys, his "punishments" had been a lot more severe, like a day in a dark, smelly cupboard with no meals. As well, they'd never really punished Harry – there'd never been a need – so the boy might have been having a flashback to the time with his former guardians. To remind Harry where he was and whom he was now residing with, Remus went in after the dishes were finished to remind him about the fair in London later in the day with Danger and Neenie. The news had the exact effect Remus wanted: Harry's eyes lit up and he smiled widely.

"Are Meghan and Sirius and Letha going with us?" Harry asked as Remus helped him pick out what he would wear that day.

"Er…" Remus said. It was getting to be his favorite expression. In truth, over the last few days' excitement of Aletha and Meghan coming to stay with them, he'd completely forgotten to mention he was taking Harry to the fair for the day. And he couldn't very well take Harry and leave the others at the cottage… He wondered if Danger would mind some extra company… "Hold that thought, Harry."

Remus quickly went into the kitchen and located Danger's phone number. Sirius, Aletha, and Meghan were in the living room doing something that involved the two females throwing pillows at Sirius. He dialed the number and waited.

After three rings, a breathless voice answered and Remus spoke. "Danger? Hi, it's Remus Lupin." He laughed. "You seem to be having a good time," he said in response to the laughter in her own voice. Danger told him she and Neenie were just picking up the house a bit. "Well, the reason I'm calling is about the fair today. My friend Sirius' wife and their daughter are in town this week, and I was wondering if you'd mind if they came along?" Danger seemed a bit surprised, but replied that she didn't mind one bit. "Great, then we'll see you in a few hours."

They said goodbye and Remus hung up the phone, smiling a bit at how Danger's voice sounded when she laughed. Then he shook himself; he was acting like a teenager, and this wasn't even really a date – or was it? – it was just for Harry and Neenie to spend some time together. That was it… And Remus would keep that train of thought for as long as it took to convince himself that it was the truth.

"Sirius, could you come here for a second?" he called.

"Gladly!" the Auror called. As he entered the kitchen one last pillow flew at his head followed by laughs from both Aletha and Meghan. "Why is it that I'm always the one getting pillows thrown at me?" he asked his best friend.

"Because you're an easy target?" Remus suggested innocently. Sirius glared at him. "How would you feel about going to London today for a fair?"

"A fair what?" Sirius asked blankly.

Remus shook his head. He loved Sirius, but the fact that the man still didn't even know the proper name for a television blew his mind. "A fair, Sirius. It's an event with rides and games and food…" The mention of food seemed to perk Sirius' interest. "Do you remember just after seventh year when Lily took all of us to that thing where you and James decided to sing karaoke?"

"Oh, that," Sirius said, cringing. "I don't have to do that again, do I?"

"If you do, I will have to kill myself."

"Well, I'm up for it," he said. "Just us, then?"

"Actually," Remus began slowly. "Harry and I were invited by Danger and her sister a few days ago. I just forgot to mention it."

That grin that Remus always hated had returned to Sirius' face. "Oh, I see what this is… It was supposed to be a date, but you're too chicken to go alone, so you drag me and my family along to make it seem like it's just a group of friends…"

"Sirius, do you want to go along, or not?" Remus said flatly. "Because I can just as easily take Harry and go without you."

"Now, now, Moony, don't get hasty," Sirius said, still grinning. "I'm rather interested in meeting this Danger, since you seem to think so much of her."

"Aletha, do you have any more pillows in there?" Remus called to the living room.

Silence, then, "Yes, we have three more. Do you need one?"

"I don't know. Sirius, do I?"

"Why are all of you so bloody violent? Fine, we'll go to the fair, and I'll back off about Danger…" Remus knew he wouldn't do anything of the sort, but for the moment he'd keep his mouth shut. "What time?"

"About three hours from now."

* * *

Aletha had been thrilled to hear that they were going to see her childhood best friend, and Meghan was just happy to hear she'd get to go to a fair. Due to his position in the Ministry, Sirius was allowed to make a Portkey that would take them just outside the fairgrounds, once Remus gave him the coordinates. They prepared to leave at ten minutes to noon, and gathered around a piece of the lampshade from the lamp Meghan and Harry had broken earlier.

"Alright," Sirius said, picking Meghan up. "Everyone put a finger on the lampshade…" Ten seconds later, they'd arrived in the sunshine of London, and Remus quickly reached out to grab Harry before he fell to the ground. "Are we all in one piece?" Sirius asked, tickling Meghan's sides and earning a giggle. "Lead the way, Moony…"

They bought their tickets for admittance and waited just inside the gates for Danger and Neenie – Remus had already bought their tickets, much to Sirius' amusement. "Where are they?" Harry asked from atop Remus' shoulders, looking around the parking lot.

"They'll be here, Harry," Remus said. He was also looking out in the parking lot for the other two members of their group. Just after noon, Harry pointed out a bushy head in the crowd of families making their way through the ticket lines and called out for Danger. She saw them and waved, smiling, approaching with Neenie at her side. "We've already gotten your tickets," Remus told Danger.

"You didn't have to do that," Danger said, smiling at him.

He only shrugged, smiling back. "Oh, this is my best friend Sirius Black, his daughter Meghan, and his wife-"

"ALETHA!" Danger cried, spotting the widely grinning woman.

"Ow," Sirius said, rubbing his ear and wincing away from the screams of the excited women.

"What are you doing here?" Danger asked after embracing Aletha tightly.

"I'm married to this git," Aletha said, grinning. "God, it's been so long! How are you?"

They began talking quickly, catching up on fifteen years of news, while Sirius and Remus looked on, shaking their heads at one another. Harry, Meghan, and Neenie were somewhere around their legs, Harry introducing the girls to one another. Ten minutes later, the women turned back to the wizards. "What?" Aletha asked at Sirius' raised eyebrow. "Are you telling me that if you hadn't seen your childhood best friend for years you wouldn't be excited?"

"Oh, believe me, I was very excited when I saw Remus again… It meant…" Sirius began. Remus cleared his throat, giving him a very pointed look. "Well, it meant I hadn't been as much of a prat as I thought I was."

"Don't be so sure." Remus grinned. "So, shall we?"

Once Sirius realized what a fair was, he wanted to go on every single ride there around. Danger made a comment to Remus that he acted like he'd never been to one of these before, and Remus replied that Sirius had a very sheltered childhood – which wasn't a complete lie – and that seemed to satisfy her. After a quick lunch of hamburgers and chips, Sirius dragged the group to a game booth. The goal of the game was to throw beanbags at cardboard ducklings moving across a conveyer belt.

"How cruel," Sirius commented before picking up one of the beanbags and throwing it as hard as he could. He missed. "Oh, like you could do any better," he said to Remus' snigger.

"I could," Remus said. Sirius pushed him forward. The man behind the counter handed Remus one of the beanbags, and after taking careful aim, he threw it and knocked one of the ducks over.

"You win!" the man said. "Take your prize!" Remus looked over at the shelves of stuffed animals and pointed at a stuffed lion. The man handed it to him, and Remus turned around to Neenie, handing her the toy.

Neenie rewarded him with a bright smile that matched her sister's. "Thank you," she said a bit shyly.

"You're very welcome," Remus said, winking at Danger.

Remus tried three more times at Sirius' insistence that the first one was a fluke, and won three more stuffed lions. "Are you happy now?" he asked his best friend as each of the children took a stuffed animal from him, Meghan cuddling hers in her arms and Harry tossing his into the air. "I'll give you a lion if you stop pouting." Sirius laughed and snatched the fourth lion from his best friend's hand.

"Are they always like this?" Danger asked Aletha quietly.

"Always," Aletha said, laughing.

Next on their list was the Ferris wheel. Danger told the group that she'd rather wait for them than go on the ride, but Remus coaxed her into it by promising to share a cart with her. Sirius rolled his eyes at them before leading Harry, Meghan, Aletha, and Neenie to the line.

"You're afraid of heights, aren't you?" Remus asked Danger quietly once they got to the front of the line and were waiting for their turn at the carts.

"No, not afraid of heights," Danger said. "More afraid of falling from heights."

Remus chuckled. "You won't fall," he said certainly.

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I won't let you."

He and Danger locked eyes, and for a brief second Remus swore he knew what she was thinking, and thought he was enjoying this day a lot more than he believed he would too. But the second passed, and they were being ushered forward. The operator of the ride found them an empty cart just behind where Harry, Neenie, and Meghan shared one. Aletha and Sirius were in front of the children, turning occasionally to make sure they were all right.

The bar of the cart closed in front of them, and Remus smiled at Danger again, scooting closer to her without even realizing it. The ride began and Danger tensed a bit. "It's okay," Remus said soothingly.

"I hate these things…" she was muttering over and over.

By the time they'd reached the top of the wheel, Danger had her eyes shut tightly. "Open your eyes," he said.

"No, I'm just fine, thanks," she replied.

"Please?" he asked.

Sighing, Danger slowly opened her eyes and looked out over the fairgrounds. From where they sat, they could see everything around them, and even parts of London.

"See, that isn't so bad, now is it?" Remus said.

"No, I suppose not," she said, inwardly wondering how a man she'd only (technically) met a week ago could know exactly what to do to keep her calm. But the Remus she knew from her dreams always knew the right thing to do or say.

The wheel jerked to life again, and they slowly began to make their descent to the ground. When the bar was lifted, Danger was smiling, thankful to be on the ground, but enjoying her time with Remus even more.

"So where to now?" Sirius asked as they left through the ride's exit gate.

The group spent the rest of the afternoon going from game booths to rides and back again until Sirius finally decided he wanted to sit down, and chose ice cream as a good excuse to do so. "It's on me," he told the group. Danger insisted she could pay for her and Neenie's ice cream, but neither Sirius nor Remus would listen to a word she said.

The two wizards made their way to the booth that sold the ice cream and bought seven chocolate cones – Remus paid since Sirius didn't know the first thing about Muggle money – and went back to the table. While trying to enjoy his dessert, Sirius looked around the fairgrounds, then frowned.

"What's wrong?" asked Aletha.

"Nothing," said Sirius automatically, taking another lick of his ice cream. But it wasn't true. A bit down the way, he had spotted someone who couldn't possibly be there. Or at least, he shouldn't. But the longer he stared, the more the Auror realized he actually was seeing what he thought he was seeing.

"No way…" he whispered, standing and dropping his ice cream cone into a trash bin.

"Sirius, what's wrong?" Aletha asked again.

"Remus, come here," Sirius replied, without turning back around. Remus stood and went to stand by his best friend. "Look over there at that booth… Do you see who I see?"

Remus followed Sirius' line of sight and felt his eyes widen and his jaw drop simultaneously. "Is he really that stupid?"

"Seems so…" Sirius said, his voice now hard and furious. "Stay here…"

Before Remus could try and stop him, Sirius walked off, his hand going to his wand. "What is going on?" Aletha demanded.

Remus quickly weighed his options. Danger was a Muggle, true, but that meant the name wouldn't mean a thing to her. And Aletha deserved to know.

"Sirius just saw Lucius Malfoy."

* * *

**AN**: How's that for a cliffhanger? Remember, this story is set in the Truths universe, and in that universe, Lucius is on the run. Please be patient with me on this story, guys. I'm doing my best, but I also want to make sure I'm doing things right. I'll get the chapters out as quickly as I can, okay? So until the next time you hear from me (which should be tomorrow night with an update of Altercations...). Thank you for reading, and please review. 


	5. Discoveries

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Five_

Sirius Black held grudges against people who harmed his friends and loved ones. If he had something against you, even if he just had an idea that you had hurt his family, he would hunt for you until your dying day. So it wasn't surprising that when he spotted Lucius Malfoy at a Muggle carnival – the man who he'd watched drag his godson down a flight of stairs not nine months ago – he abandoned his family in favor of an attempt to catch the runaway Death Eater.

The Head Auror slipped around the back of the game booths, looking around corners to be sure Malfoy hadn't gotten away, and finally got close enough to hear what was happening in one of the booths. Malfoy and the man inside – presumably a wizard by what they were discussing – were talking about some sort of potion. The blond wizard seemed to want it very badly, but the wizard in the booth claimed he couldn't get it until the next day.

"What if one of dem Ministry Aurors comes by?" the wizard asked in a heavy accent. "I already gots charges against me; I can't afford more, mate."

Malfoy sighed impatiently. "I could make it very worth your while," he said quietly and smoothly.

"I told you. I ain't got that potion here wit me. Now, I can give ya the business card of me associate here in London – he can get it for ya."

"I don't have time to go gallivanting around Muggle London. As you've said, there are Ministry Aurors all over, and I'm sure they would be very unhappy to see me. I am not in town for long – I've other, ah, business to attend to, and I would very much appreciate a little more cooperation," Malfoy said. "I know for a fact that you do have this potion, or at least its ingredients, and if they are not on this counter in the next thirty seconds, you will regret it."

Sirius reached under his shirt where his wand was in the back pocket of his jeans and grasped the handle, pulling it out slowly. He edged his way between the narrow alley of the booths, trying to remain quiet. He performed a Disillusionment Charm on himself as he got closer to the front, listening closely to every little sound Malfoy and the other wizard made, every mutter or indrawn breath, until a long moment when nothing happened, a moment which stretched and stretched...

The length of the silence between the two wizards was getting suspicious, and Sirius was growing impatient. If he didn't catch Malfoy soon, there was a large chance the Death Eater would get away again, and the search for him would continue for God knows how long.

Moving carefully across the dirt, Sirius left the shade of the booth and stood directly beside Malfoy, tempted to curse the other wizard right then and there. _I can't. Muggles are crawling all over this place, I can't cause a scene_, he thought, surprised at the responsibility he seemed to have absorbed from Remus.

_But this is the bastard that caused Harry so much pain, and helped Wormtail try to bring Voldemort back to power. These Muggles don't know the horrors Malfoy could cause them,_ said another voice, the irresponsible one he was so used to. _Take him down quickly, avoid a scene by saying he just passed out or something, but don't waste any more bloody time. _

While the voices in Sirius' mind were arguing, Malfoy and the other wizard had made some sort of a deal, one that satisfied the Death Eater. Sirius took a quick look at the sign above the booth – _Real Magical Items! Magical wands that turn into rubber ducks; Love Potions that really work; Flying Broomsticks._ Vaguely, Sirius thought that the wizard running the booth was facing felony charges with the Ministry for selling potentially dangerous items to Muggles – he'd have to let Arthur Weasley know what was happening at work on Monday.

Malfoy nodded his thanks to the wizard, dropped a jingling leather pouch of gold onto the counter and began to walk away. Sirius noted with some satisfaction that Malfoy seemed to be limping. _Well, when I get finished with him, he'll be lucky if he can walk…_

The Head Auror started to follow Malfoy, but before he could mutter a Stunning Curse, the Death Eater stopped in his tracks and looked down at the ground, his eyes tracing the outline of Sirius' shadow – Disillusioned or not, he still cast a shadow. Sirius mentally cursed and raised his wand as Malfoy looked over his shoulder, narrowing his cold gray eyes at the Auror. He seemed to shrug off the feeling of being followed, and continued on his way – Sirius sighed in relief.

But the relief was short lived; at the fairground's exit gates, Malfoy quickly turned on his heel, shouting his own Stunning spell which narrowly missed the Head Auror. Sirius ducked out of the way and attempted his own spell, but he was half a second too late – Malfoy'd used the time that it'd taken Sirius to fire his curse to Disapparate.

"DAMMIT!" Sirius yelled, startling a few Muggles who'd seen the strange blond man use a wooden stick to shoot a red jet of light at nothing.

"Sirius!" called a voice from behind him. The Auror turned to find Remus running to catch up to him. "Where'd he go?"

"I don't know," Sirius growled. He looked around at the Muggles, a few of whom looked terrified by the man who had started talking to thin air, and the voice that was answering him. "C'mon, I gotta get this charm off…" Remus led him to the restroom and Sirius entered one of the stalls, still muttering curses under his breath, and exited a few seconds later completely visible. "Where're the kids?"

"Aletha took them and Danger to the other end of the grounds," Remus said.

"Did Danger see anything?"

Remus hesitated. "I think she saw Malfoy shoot the stunning spell at you…"

Sirius looked at him apologetically. "We're going to have to wipe her memory when the Obliviators arrive, you do know that, right?"

Remus sighed and nodded. "I know," he said quietly. "Let's go find them."

The two best friends exited the restroom and saw that a group of Ministry wizards had already arrived – the wizard selling the magical items was being taken into custody by two of Sirius' Aurors, while the Obliviators gathered the Muggles who'd seen everything to get statements and wipe their memories.

Aletha, Danger, Harry, Meghan, and Neenie weren't hard to find. They were standing by the bumper cars, waiting. Aletha spotted Sirius and ran to him. After hugging him, thankful that he was unhurt, she slapped him hard in the shoulder. "That's for running off by yourself," she said to him. "He could have killed you."

"Well, he didn't," Sirius said bitterly. "He Disapparated before I could even try to stun him." He looked over Aletha's shoulder where Danger looked on apprehensively, the children right beside her. "Er, maybe we should all go somewhere more quiet to talk…"

"You don't have to Obliviate her, do you?" Aletha asked Sirius in a whisper as Remus led the others out of the fair grounds.

"Yes, we do," Sirius said regretfully. "She's still a Muggle, no matter how close you were in school."

"But I trust her," Aletha said. "We can tell her what we are, and she won't go blabbing about it in a supermarket."

"I don't think she would, either, but it's required procedure, Letha. Look, I'll talk to Remus, see what he thinks, but if we don't Obliviate her, we have to tell her everything…"

The group silently walked a few blocks to a restaurant where they could talk and not be overheard. To be safe, Sirius cast a privacy spell around their table, and a silencing charm between the kids and adults – the kids didn't need to worry about what was going to be discussed, and Sirius didn't want to have to Obliviate Neenie as well if he decided to wipe Danger's memory of the day.

After ordering glasses of water and nothing more, Danger finally broke the tense silence. "Will one of you please tell me what's going on? Who was that man at the fair? And what did he try to do to Sirius?"

Remus sighed and looked down at the table. Sirius knew he'd prefer to tell Danger the truth about himself on his own terms, and not after what she'd just seen, but as of right now there was no other choice if they didn't want to Obliviate her.

Remus looked back up and met Danger's eyes. "That man was Lucius Malfoy. He's been on the run from Sirius for about six months – we told you he's like a police officer." Danger nodded. "Malfoy was a part of a group who did horrendous things to people, and in September, he did something to Harry that has Sirius hunting him down."

"What did he do?"

Remus looked at Sirius and Aletha. "Harry was kidnapped," Sirius said quietly, "by a man we thought to be dead. This man took Harry and tried to use him in a… well, a sort of ceremony, but we stopped him."

Danger's eyes had a faraway look in them as she took in what she was being told. "What did he look like?" she whispered.

Sirius raised an eyebrow at his wife and best friend. "Sorry?"

"This man… What did he look like?"

"Er," Remus said a bit hesitantly. "Well, he was short with brown hair and blue eyes…"

"Did he have a long scar on his chest?"

Remus' and Sirius' eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"From his left shoulder down to his navel," Danger said slowly, drawing her hand down her own body there. Her eyes were still faraway, as though she was getting the information as she spoke. "Some sort of animal attacked him when he was young…"

"How did you know that?" Remus whispered.

Danger looked at them. "The same way I know that you're all magical," she said bluntly. "I've known since the day I met you, Remus, and before that actually."

Aletha stared at her. "Who told you?"

To their surprise, Danger smiled, albeit a bit nervously. "If I tell you, you've got to promise to hear me out. What I've got to say will sound completely mental, but I swear it's all true…"

Sirius and Remus looked at each other. "Excuse us one second," said Sirius, and cast another privacy spell closing him and Remus off from the women. "Moony?"

"I don't know," said Remus. "We have no real reason to trust her, but no reason to mistrust her either. And what harm could it do to hear her out?"

"She could be a Death Eater trying to get close to Harry."

Remus shook his head. "Why wouldn't she have done something before this? She lived on the same street with him for five years, babysat for him – she could have done anything she wanted, his relatives would never have known, or cared."

"That's if she is who she says she is. She could be a Death Eater in disguise – the real Danger could be dead, or captured somewhere. Can we risk it?"

Remus nodded slowly. Sirius was making sense, but there was just something about Danger that he knew in his heart he could trust. The fact that he'd only spent a few hours with her didn't matter one bit. He felt as though he should have had much more time with her than just that day. He remembered the dreams he had about her, and an odd but familiar sensation filled him. "Sirius, trust me on this. Danger would no more harm Harry than any of us would. And just listening to someone can't hurt us."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You didn't know my mum very well, did you?"

"To my everlasting relief, no."

"All right. But you get to clean up the mess if things go pear-shaped."

"Fine with me."

Sirius dispelled the Privacy Spell. Danger and Aletha broke off their own conversation to look at the men. "We'll listen," Remus said quietly. "Go ahead."

Danger sighed, glancing at Neenie, Harry, and Meghan before turning back to her patiently waiting audience. "I told you my parents died some years ago, and that's why I'm taking care of Neenie," she began quietly. "That is true, but they didn't just… die… They were murdered. I'd come home from school one day – Neenie was only about a year old, she was at day care – and I found my parents dead in the living room. They didn't have any visible injuries; in fact, they seemed completely untouched. The only things really out of the ordinary were their faces – they looked as though they'd died in terrible pain."

Aletha pressed her friend's hand. Sirius and Remus exchanged a look, silently agreeing on how Danger's parents had been killed. The Killing Curse, probably with Cruciatus cast beforehand.

"After the funeral, I started having these dreams. I didn't think anything of them at first – I didn't know any of the people in them, I just thought I was having random dreams because of what I'd seen that day. One day, Neenie and I were at the park in our neighborhood, and Petunia Dursley brought her son and another boy to play.

"I recognized the other boy straight off as the boy named Harry from my dreams. His parents had been murdered the same way as mine, and he had nowhere else to go except to his aunt and uncle's. I offered to baby-sit him on a whim; Petunia's son had plenty of friends, but Harry was just sitting in the sandbox staring around – it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

"After I started watching him often, my dreams came more predictably – every night, actually. I was getting more details about Harry's life: His father had three best friends in school; one was his godfather, who'd been accused of having some part in Harry's parents' deaths and sent to prison; another was a portly man with brown hair, he was the one who actually betrayed them, but nobody knew; the last man I'd always see looking very depressed, as though he just wanted to end everything because he'd lost his entire world.

"I looked forward to the dreams; they were like a television show that I wanted to see the end of, as horrible as that may sound. And then, four years later, back in June, you and Sirius showed up, Remus, and went to the Dursleys' to take Harry away with you. I thought that would be the end of the dreams, that the show finally had a happy ending, and I'd never see any of you again. But then I met you and Harry in that park a few weeks ago. And here we are…" she ended a bit lamely, watching the faces of Sirius, Remus, and Aletha very closely.

Remus' mind was reeling as she finished her explanation. He could tell Danger was leaving some bits and pieces out, but he'd figure all that out later. What mattered right now was the fact that she'd _dreamed_ all of this. Vaguely, he recalled something he'd once read about latent magic and how it sometimes appeared after tragedy struck, transforming an apparent Muggle into a witch or wizard. Could Danger have latent magic?

There was one sure way to find out, but Remus wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to hand Danger a wand in the middle of a Muggle restaurant. Latent magic was unpredictable at best…

He looked at his best friend who was staring at Danger with slightly narrowed eyes. Sirius was always the suspicious type, but he didn't look as though he thought Danger was lying. Actually, he looked like he was trying to figure something out on his own. "You lived on Privet Drive when the Dursleys were murdered, right? Why didn't you come out when we were there investigating? You could have told us all of this…"

"I knew what really happened to the Dursleys. All of my neighbors thought something completely different after trying to spy into the house while those policemen – they're not really called policemen, right? – were doing their investigations."

"They're called Aurors," Aletha said quietly. "That's what Sirius is; he's an Auror, a dark wizard catcher."

"So it's all true then?" Danger asked eagerly. "Magic and flying broomsticks and magic wands really exist?"

Remus nodded. "They do. You were right; Sirius, Aletha, and I are magical. We have been since we were born. We all met at a school that teaches witchcraft and wizardry, Hogwarts, it's called. Lily and James, Harry's parents, were murdered by the darkest of all dark wizards – he was called Lord Voldemort, and he disappeared the night of the murders. Do you know what role Harry played in that, by any chance?"

Danger slowly nodded, looking at Harry, then back at the other adults. "He's got a scar on his forehead from where some… spell or enchantment, or whatever you call it, hit him. It's the same thing that killed his parents and mine, but it didn't kill him. It hit this Lord… Voldemort, was it? It hit him instead."

"This is creepy," Sirius muttered. "You're a Muggle, you shouldn't know any of this."

"Muggle?" Danger repeated.

"Non-magical," Remus explained automatically. "And I'm not so sure that she is, Sirius. I think she might have latent magic, some sort of Seer power, maybe."

"We can test that," Aletha said. "All she has to do is wave a wand around a bit and we'll know."

"Not in a Muggle restaurant, we can't," Remus said. "You're a Healer, you know how latent magic can backfire. She could accidentally burn this whole place down."

Sirius finally tore his eyes from Danger and looked at Remus. "But we've got to find out. We can't just let her go home without testing it."

"And you're an Auror," Remus said, rolling his eyes. "You should know better. Even showing a wand to Muggles is illegal unless it's a special circumstance."

"This is a special circumstance," Sirius said. "We're trying to find out the truth about a new friend."

Remus bit his lip and looked at Danger. She was waiting patiently for the three of them to decide what to do, even though she probably didn't know half of what they were talking about.

_Come on, Moony,_ said that voice that'd been bugging him for a few days. _What harm could it do? It's not as if she's going to be able to cast any real spells. The most she'll be able to do is shoot a few sparks. And that's only if she has latent magic. Chances are, she's just a Muggle, but with some sort of Seer magic. There are some Squibs who have Seer powers, you know…_

Remus rolled his eyes at the voice, knowing that an argument with it was a losing battle. He reached under his shirt and pulled his wand from his belt loop. Glancing at Sirius and Aletha who were still debating on what to do, he passed his wand over the table to Danger, who held it uncertainly. "Give it a wave," he said quietly with a smile.

She smiled a little and moved the wand in a slow arc. A rainbow of sparks shot from the tip. Her mouth dropped open a little as she looked from the wand back to Remus. "Did I do that?" she asked.

Remus smiled widely. "Indeed you did. Congratulations, Danger, you are a witch."

She looked at them all uncertainly. "Does that mean I have to wear a pointy black hat and cackle a lot?"

Sirius cracked up. "Hats are optional," he said between guffaws. "But I think you ought to learn to cackle."

Aletha smacked him on the head. "You don't have to learn anything," she said to Danger. "Not unless you want to."

Danger smiled. "I think I want to."

"Then I will be happy to teach you," Remus heard himself say, and was promptly horrified. _What did I just do?_

_Sounds to me like an excuse to spend time with her,_ said the voice in his head smugly. _But you'll have a nice platonic teacher-student relationship, I'm sure..._

"That would be lovely." Danger turned her smile to him, and Remus couldn't help but respond in kind.

_I suppose it won't be so bad. _

He ignored the mental snickering.

* * *

**AN: **A humoungous thanks to Anne (whydoyouneedtoknow) for her additions to this chapter, and as always, for looking it over. As I've said, these are your characters for the most part, and I'm just a clueless bystander.

Let's see... Update on Altercations tomorrow. And I lied, by the way; the drama doesn't start until Chapter Twenty-Three. My plan is to have Altercations finished by the New Year, and then I want to take a break from that before I start posting the sequel to work on this and Unforeseen - and with any luck, finish them. So until tomorrow night! Please review!


	6. Taking Chances

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Six_

For at least a month, ever since the Muggle fair where Sirius had dueled with Lucius Malfoy, he and his Aurors had worked tirelessly in an attempt to locate the runaway Death Eater. Unfortunately, they were no closer than they had been before Sirius had sighted him.

Magical Forensics had gone to the scene in the middle of the night to avoid being seen by Muggles, but all they discovered was that Malfoy had Disapparated. They should have been able to detect where he'd gone, but it seemed Malfoy had covered his tracks very well. The Head Auror had even gone to Malfoy Manor to question his cousin Narcissa about her husband's whereabouts, but she was no help; the only things Sirius got from his trips there were a few new insults and a pair of sore eyeballs from rolling them far too much.

Sirius' long days at the Ministry tired him immensely, but he always found a spurt of new energy upon returning home, when his godson and daughter would run into the room to give him overenthusiastic welcomes. The pair were more and more often accompanied by little Neenie Granger, because Remus had started inviting Danger and Hermione over to the cottage every chance he could. He'd even talked Sirius into having the Granger house connected to the Floo Network – "for their own safety, of course," Remus had insisted. "You know, if they need help in a hurry, they can contact us…" Sirius had only grinned slyly at his best friend and said he'd do what he could to get their fireplace connected.

During Danger and Hermione's visits, Remus and Aletha had taken it upon themselves to begin teaching Danger magical theory and spells and such. By the end of the month, if she was up to it, Remus wanted to take Danger to Diagon Alley to get her a wand of her own. "Every witch or wizard needs a wand," Remus told her. "Whether it be for defense or household spells, or hexing your best friend – which is personally my favorite use for my wand."

Danger giggled. "Household spells?" she asked, looking over at Aletha.

"Oh, you know, doing dishes, making the bed, cleaning up a mess… very handy when you've got a child around." Aletha smiled. "I'm sure Neenie makes as many messes as these two."

Danger shook her head. "How did I ever get along without magic?"

Remus smiled. "Well, I'm sure it's quite easy when you don't know you can do magic, but once you cast your first spell with your own wand, you'll feel like a whole new person."

"I've felt like a whole new person for months now," she responded. _Since I met you in the park,_ she added silently. She saw Remus' brow furrow in either thought or surprise, she wasn't sure which, and when he looked at her next, she swore he was blushing.

Aletha heard Harry, Meghan, and Hermione cheer in the kitchen followed by Sirius' bark-like laughter. "That's never a good thing," she said lightly to Danger. "Excuse me."

Remus glanced at Danger out of the corner of his eye and reached over to the table to pick up his copy of _Standard Book of Spells_, _Grade Two. _During their lessons, Danger had been using Aletha's wand, since they'd discovered she got better results with the other witch's than Remus'. As much as Remus liked Aletha, he found himself strangely annoyed and a little jealous about the discovery. He had to remind himself what he'd been told at age eleven by the wand-maker Ollivander in Diagon Alley: "The wand chooses the wizard." Well, that didn't mean he couldn't be a little upset that Danger reacted better to Aletha's wand than his…

"Can I tell you something, Remus?" Danger asked hesitantly.

Remus snapped his head up from his book, fighting down the blush creeping up his neck, and cleared his throat. "Of course," he said, closing the book and setting it aside.

Danger bit her lip. "You know how I told you I had dreams about you, Sirius, and Letha being magical, and about Harry and his parents?" Remus nodded. "Well, there was a lot more to my dreams than just that…"

Remus nodded slowly. "I thought as much," he said quietly, hoping this wasn't going where he thought it was. "Go on…"

Danger took a deep breath before speaking. "Well, I'd have flashes of images all jumbled together, of what I assume was your and Sirius' childhoods, when you were at school. Some of them were of you as teens, and of a boy who looked a lot like an older Harry, and a fourth one, kind of mousy. But a lot of them showed a very bright full moon, and four animals running across a lawn, playing together as though it was the most normal thing in the world."

Remus felt his heart sinking. She knew what he was, and soon she would tell him that he was far too dangerous for him to be associated with her and her sister, who he'd grown quite fond of over the last few weeks.

"The weirdest thing about the animals was that in the wild, you'd never see these types together, unless it was a predator-prey situation." She closed her eyes as though thinking back to the images. "There was a big black dog, a rat with a bald tail, a dark-colored stag with huge antlers, and… the handsomest wolf I've ever seen in my life."

Remus' jaw fell open. He couldn't help it. She couldn't have just said what he thought she had. His wolf form had never been described as handsome by anybody, save one person who was no longer in his life. _And Naomi never should have seen me in the first place,_ he thought distantly.

Danger continued. "I always paid more attention to the wolf than to any of the others. His fur was light brown with a few gray specks here and there. Like your hair. And his eyes… they were this most gorgeous blue. Like yours."

Remus felt his heart pounding.

"The wolf _was_ you, wasn't it?"

It hadn't been a question really, more of a statement of fact. Normally, Remus would have denied anything of the sort, but something told him that Danger wouldn't be fooled by his attempts. He nodded. "Yes, it's me."

"And the others?"

"Sirius is the dog, Harry's father, James, was the stag, and the rat was Wormtail, the one who betrayed us," Remus rattled off automatically.

She nodded. "That seems to fit. But you really are… beautiful… as a wolf. Did you know that?"

Remus gulped surreptitiously. Did she think he could turn into a regular wolf? Aletha had told her about Animagi, but left out the part about her husband and two of his friends becoming such illegally at the age of fifteen. Sure, Danger thought he was handsome now that she believed he was just a regular Animagus, but what would she say if he told her the truth – that he was a vicious, bloodthirsty monster one night a month?

He couldn't take it anymore. He had to tell her. "What do you know about werewolves?" he asked croakily.

She didn't seem the least bit taken aback by the statement. "I know that most of the magical world sees them as horrid beasts, and that they can't get jobs due to ancient prejudice. I know that they can't help being what they are. And I know that there are some who are actually quite decent, and more gentle and kindhearted than a lot of wizards, or Muggles, in the world." She put a hand on his knee. "Remus, I know."

Remus averted his eyes. He felt his heart ripping apart; he would have given anything for her not to. The next sentence was sure to be, _And I want to know why you've been lying to me,_ or_ And I don't want to know you anymore. _

But it wasn't. "I've known since before I met you, just like I knew all those other things about you. I don't think you're the stereotypical werewolf in any way whatsoever. If I may flatter myself, I've always thought I was a good judge of character. If I didn't trust you and like you, do you think I'd bring my little sister over here all the time?"

Remus had had the vague impression that the only reason Danger brought Neenie over was to play with Harry and Meghan. _Could I have been wrong…?_

"Neenie adores you," she said simply. "That's part of the reason I come over here. She doesn't remember our dad, so she's never had a man in her life." She chuckled. "As wrong as that sounds for a six-year-old. And, if you want the truth, the whole play-date thing with Harry and Meghan, and the magic lessons, are really just excuses for me to justify spending time with you."

Remus snapped his eyes up to look at her. "What?" he said in disbelief. "Why?"

Danger sighed. "I don't suppose you'd believe I like you for your own sake," she said, moving her hand from his knee to take his hand. "Though it's certainly true. But I had another dream, not long after you and I met. I was in a magnificent-looking stone hall, wearing a white gown, on the arm of a man with long silver hair and a beard. We were walking down an aisle between seats to the front, where another man was waiting for me. It was you. I was marrying you."

Remus' mind was moving a mile a minute. _This can't be happening…_

"The moment I touched your hand, I knew you. I knew all about your life, as if we'd been friends for years. And I knew I wanted to keep learning more about you forever. We exchanged vows, we danced, and I felt more complete than I ever have in my life. And when we kissed…" She sighed again, closing her eyes with an expression of bliss. "Well, all I can say is that if you kiss in real life like you did in that dream… damn."

"I had the same dream," Remus heard himself say hoarsely. "I held your hands and I knew everything there was to know about you – like a Muggle movie set on fast forward…"

"Amazing, wasn't it?"

"Quite." He looked into her warm brown eyes and saw no rejection there, no hatred or fear, only friendship and – could there be something more?

_This'll be a good time to lean in for a kiss, mate_, said that sly voice that wouldn't leave him alone. _Find out if there is..._

Remus started to obey the voice, and Danger looked more than happy to cooperate. They were no more than six inches from each other when three voices somewhere in the background laughed loudly, a fourth yelped, and a fifth said, "That ought to teach you."

Danger and Remus jerked away from each other, avoiding one another's eyes, blushes creeping up on both of their faces. Remus was getting quite sick of his tendency to blush…

Aletha came back into the room, sniggering, not noticing the looks on her friends' faces. "Just so you know, Remus, Sirius will not be riding a broomstick anytime in the very near future."

Remus cleared his throat, not looking at anything in the room but his feet. "What'd he do this time?" he asked, quite annoyed at the hoarseness of his voice.

While Aletha described how her husband had very intelligently decided to float the children near the ceiling, Remus thought about what had nearly just happened. He'd been so close to kissing Danger and finding out if what his dream told him was true – that she too was an incredible kisser. But there had been more at stake than just a kiss. There was a very good chance that a relationship could have formed right at that moment, and that scared Remus more than a kiss ever could.

He hadn't even thought about being in a romantic relationship with a woman for nearly six years, not since the love of his life had left him the way she had. His heart was still broken over what had happened with Naomi, and he'd always believed that the end of their engagement had meant he was doomed to spend his life without love. He'd even started to convince himself that he didn't deserve love – he'd had a wonderful woman for five glorious years, and for some reason, she decided it was better to join the Death Eaters than to spend her life with him.

But what if he told Danger he couldn't be with her and years later found out that it'd been the biggest mistake of his life? She could be exactly what he needed to make his life whole again. Sure, he had Sirius and Harry, and they were very important parts of his life, but now that Aletha was back, Sirius would be spending less time pranking Remus and more time with her. Did he really want to live his life watching from the sidelines as his best friend enjoyed love?

_No,_ said his own voice in his head. _You need Danger. _Mentally, he raised an eyebrow at the statement. _After that wedding dream, didn't you feel the emptiness in your heart? She could help fill that… And her sister… That little girl does adore you, you know. Wasn't Danger saying not too long ago that Neenie never warmed up to anyone the way she has you, Sirius, and Letha? _

_The emptiness was from Naomi_, he argued with himself. _From when she left me. It's nothing to do with any dream…_

But he knew he was lying to himself. Just as he had for years when he told himself he didn't deserve to have love in his life again. Or friendship. He'd been wrong about that one – why not this?

"Moony?" said a voice behind him. Remus snapped his head up and looked around to find Sirius looking at him oddly. "You all right? You've been sitting there for about an hour…"

Remus blinked and looked out the window where the sun was starting to set. "Sorry," he said quietly. "Lost in my thoughts again. Where is everyone?"

"The kids have settled down with Letha and Danger to read some book or other," the Auror said. "Dinner's on the stove; it'll be done soon…"

Remus nodded. "Okay."

Sirius started to leave the room, but stopped, turning to raise an eyebrow at his best friend. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine. Honestly."

"I don't believe you," Sirius said frankly. "You're never this quiet when Danger and Neenie are over; you're usually laughing and talking and happier than I've seen you since I've been back. What's going on?"

Remus sighed, but he knew he couldn't avoid telling Sirius forever. Sirius Black was, if nothing else, determined, and more so in his pursuit of knowledge than in his pursuit of anything else except trouble. So Remus made sure the children and the women were indeed settled in another room, then pulled his best friend out the front door into the chilly night. Sirius was looking at him oddly again, but that couldn't be helped – by the end of this, he'd be looking at Remus more oddly than he ever had in his life.

Remus told Sirius everything – the dream he'd had, in which he'd come to know everything about Danger; how she'd had dreams with flashes of the Marauders' full moon escapades, how she said she knew what he was and didn't care, how she even thought his wolf form was beautiful; how he'd nearly kissed her before Aletha had walked in on them.

But instead of Sirius bursting out laughing the way Remus had been so sure he would, the Auror grinned at his best friend. "I knew it," he said. "Now you have to kiss her before she goes home, Moony. Doing anything else would be a criminal waste, and I'm obligated to arrest criminals."

It was Remus' turn to look at his best friend oddly. "Have you heard anything I've said?"

"Yes," Sirius said. "You've both had the same dream, and you're both, apparently, very good kissers. Not that I want to find out firsthand or anything; I mean, I love you and all, but definitely not like that…"

Remus rolled his eyes. "And you don't think any of this is a little strange?"

"I don't remember saying that none of this is strange. This whole situation is strange, Remus, but what just happened, or almost happened, with you and Danger is probably the least strange of all of it. Wizard, witch, both over age of consent, mutually attracted…" Sirius wiggled his fingers suggestively. "I assume you know what happens."

Remus rubbed a hand over his face. "I don't know, Sirius. I'm still not over Naomi… I don't know if I can be in a relationship right now."

"You'll never know until you try, now will you?" Sirius said wisely. "Look, mate, it's more than obvious you fancy her. What could it hurt to take her out to a nice restaurant or something? If it doesn't work out, okay. But you're not going to be satisfied until you know for sure what could happen."

Remus nodded slowly. _He's right. Sirius is right. _

_Wait a minute. Now I'm going crazy. Sirius is never right. About anything._

_But about this, it seems he is..._

"Okay, you win," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "I'll ask her on a date. _After_ the full moon. It's not that far away, and you know how utterly useless I am for a few days before and after."

Sirius nodded, satisfied. "Sounds like a plan to me," he said. "Oh, and just so you know, I'm taking Aletha, Meghan, and Harry to Hogwarts that night, so you'll be on your own."

"That's not a problem," Remus said. "I've got my Wolfsbane. Are you going to tell the Weasleys why Harry won't be over this month?"

Sirius shrugged. "Eventually," he said. "I'll talk to Arthur at work tomorrow." He sniffed the air. "Dinner's ready… Come on. Food."

Remus chuckled as his best friend pulled him by the arm into the house for dinner. When they entered the kitchen, the children were already seated, with Aletha filling glasses of water for everyone and Danger setting the last pot on the table. Remus smiled at the brown-haired witch, wondering how he could ever deny himself this chance at happiness.

He helped Harry cut up his roast beef, thinking, _This could quite possibly be the best decision I ever made in my life_.

* * *

**AN: **Bit of a transition chapter, but I've actually started the next one, and the transition ends here. Thank you to whydoyouneedtoknow (who I'm naming co-author of this story for many differentreasons :wink:) for allthe help andtweakage with this chapter.

This is part one of the Christmas present I've got for my readers and reviewers. Part two will be up shortly! Please review!


	7. Unexpected

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Seven_

Sirius strolled down Diagon Alley, Remus' shopping list in his hand. Aletha was at St. Mungo's, speaking with the hospital's director about transferring back to London, and Harry and Meghan were at Danger's for the day – Remus was getting some much needed rest, since the full moon was in two days. The Head Auror had picked up the items listed on the parchment his best friend had given him from the Apothecary, Flourish and Blotts, and Gambol and Japes Joke Shop. He didn't feel the least bit guilty about his last stop, even though Remus hadn't actually asked him to go there.

_We're running low on pranking supplies, so it would have only been a matter of time before one of us had to go there anyway,_ he reasoned with himself, peering eagerly into the bag of materials he'd purchased and mentally tagging them as "Show to Remus" and "Use on Remus."

Unfortunately, while he had his head in the bag, his feet kept going, and he collided with another shopper. "Oh, I'm so sorry, are you alright?" he asked hastily, bending down to pick up the witch's purchases. But when he looked up, he found he was talking to thin air. He stood up and looked around, searching for the woman he'd bumped into. He got only a faint glimpse of a worried face under long blonde hair before the witch fled into the crowd. "Miss!" he called out. "Don't you want your bags?"

He picked up the two bags of groceries and followed the woman, finally catching up to her just outside Ollivander's Wand Shop. She was obviously avoiding him, and at first he couldn't understand why, but when he passed her and stepped in front of her, blocking her path, he realized who he was chasing, and promptly dropped everything in his arms.

"_Naomi?"_ he said loudly, his eyes widening in surprise.

The witch looked around as if afraid someone else would hear him say her name. "Hi, Sirius," she said quietly.

Sirius laughed shortly. "'Hi, Sirius.' Nice greeting after five years. What're you doing here? I thought you were in America."

She blinked in surprise. "America? Why would I be in America?"

"That's where Remus said you went after Lily and James… well, after their funerals," Sirius said.

"He… told you I went to America," she said slowly.

"Yeah," Sirius said. "How long have you been back?"

Naomi averted her eyes from his, smoothing down the sleeve of her robes. "Oh, not too long," she said shakily. "A few months…"

Sirius grinned. "So why haven't you been by to see us? Aletha's back, did you know?"

"Oh, no, I didn't know that. How is she?"

Somehow, Sirius missed the sound of panic in Naomi's voice. "She's great," he replied, his grin widening. "We have a daughter."

Naomi's jaw dropped in shock. "What?" she said. "You haven't been out of… of Azkaban for that long."

"Yeah, well, apparently Letha was pregnant before everything happened. She didn't know before she left for America."

"Wow," Naomi said, a small smile forming on her face. "Congratulations, Sirius. What's her name?"

"Meghan Lily Black," Sirius said proudly. "She's gorgeous, Naomi. You've got to come see her sometime. And Harry too – Remus and I took him from his relatives' house last year, he's living with us now."

"I heard about that," Naomi said, looking over her shoulder. "Listen, Sirius, it was good seeing you again, but I've got to get going–"

Sirius' face fell. "But… Naomi, we haven't seen you in five years. I'm sure Remus and Letha would love to see you."

Naomi muttered something under her breath. Sirius frowned. It couldn't have been what he thought it was… "I've got a lot going on," the witch said aloud. "Really busy, you know."

"Well, where can we reach you? Maybe we can get together for dinner some night?"

"I… I don't think so, Sirius," she said, waving her wand hastily to send her groceries flying back into their bags. "I'm really sorry, but this is just a really bad time for me…"

"Then you can come by the cottage when the time is good for you. You remember how to get there, right?"

"Yeah, of course," she said. "Well, I've got to run. It was good seeing you, Sirius. Bye."

Before Sirius could think of a reply, Naomi had Disapparated. He thought he heard an extra faint _pop_, like an echo, when she disappeared, but he attributed it to his imagination. Completely confused at the behavior of the woman who had once been one of his best friends – had she really said, "I doubt it" when he'd asserted Remus and Aletha would want to see her again? – he gathered up the bags of stuff he'd bought and prepared to Apparate to the cottage.

* * *

Remus could only stare at his best friend's back as he unloaded the bags from Diagon Alley in the kitchen later that afternoon. "And she was acting so oddly, like she couldn't wait to get away from me," Sirius was saying. "I told her to come by the cottage some time, but she never gave me a straight answer."

Remus couldn't decide what he was feeling. On the one side, he'd never told Sirius the true reason that Naomi had left him, and the truth would only make the other wizard angry. But on the other side, he wanted to tell Sirius everything – they'd been building up trust between each other since Sirius' release from Azkaban. _There's no reason not to tell him, and every reason I should..._

Sirius sat beside him at the table. "What really happened with Naomi?" he asked bluntly. "You're acting like you have a secret. What is it?"

Remus leaned back in his chair and ran his hands through his hair, thinking over his options. Finally, he took a deep breath, preparing to blurt out everything, but an Apparition _pop_ in the living room cut him off. Remus sighed deeply in relief when he heard Aletha announcing she was back.

"Hello, love," Sirius said, getting up to greet her. "How'd it go at St. Mungo's?"

"Just fine," she replied. "I've been granted a transfer, and I start my new job in two weeks, once all the paperwork comes through."

Sirius smiled widely. "Brilliant," he said. "So you're really staying then?"

"Of course I'm staying," Aletha said, putting her arms around his waist. "What did you think, I was leaving again, after just starting to get you housetrained? You're stuck with me, Black, deal with it."

Remus looked away politely as the couple dealt with Aletha's staying in London. After a few moments, he found it was safe to turn back to them. "Congratulations, Letha," he said. "It's good to know there's another person here to help keep this dope in line."

Aletha grinned. "I do my best," she said. "How were your days, boys?"

"I saw Naomi in Diagon Alley," Sirius blurted out before Remus could think of anything to say.

"Naomi Watts? You're kidding! I thought she'd gone to America."

Remus looked away again, this time trying to avoid having to answer questions.

"She said she's been back for a few months," Sirius told his wife. "I told her you were back, and about Meghan, but I didn't really talk to her that much. She practically ran away when I asked her to come over for dinner some time."

"That's odd," Aletha said with a frown. "Was she happy to see you at all? It has been five years…"

"Not really," Sirius said. "Like I said, she looked really frazzled, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds, and she couldn't wait to get out of there. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was in some sort of trouble."

Remus coughed. "We should probably get Harry and Meghan, don't you think? Danger's going to be in over her head with all three of them there…"

Sirius raised an eyebrow at him, but Aletha nodded. "You're right. I'll Floo over there now. Sirius, you want to come with me so I don't have to make two trips?"

"Yes, your royal highness," Sirius muttered, ducking the slap Aletha tried to give his head. Remus made up for it as the Auror stood to follow his wife. "Ow, you wanker, that really hurt."

* * *

Naomi stood in her kitchen, chopping up vegetables for her dinner, but not focusing on what she was doing. If she had looked down, she would have seen that instead of chopping a cucumber for her salad, she was reducing one of her favorite cookbooks to confetti. But her mind was far away from her work.

For five years she'd avoided being seen by any of her old friends, mainly Remus. But in one afternoon, in less than five seconds' time, she'd ruined her attempts to remain as far away as possible from the people she'd betrayed, and pulled herself right back into the sphere she'd been trying to escape.

The conversation she'd had with Sirius was one of the most confusing she could ever remember having with the wizard, and she'd had some very confusing conversations with him. For one, she'd never been to America in her entire life; why would Sirius think she'd gone there after Lily and James' funeral? Unless Remus had told him that instead breaking the news of her becoming a Death Eater. But why would he have lied to Sirius about that? Remus had never reported her to the Ministry, and she was grateful to him for that, but she never thought he'd lie to Sirius.

When Sirius had been released from Azkaban last June, Naomi was sure he would know that she'd betrayed her friends for the Dark Lord, and he, like Remus, would hate her. She'd been relieved to read about Sirius being found innocent, about the Ministry finally discovering that Peter was the true murderer, the true traitor. Sirius' innocence had burned her all these years like the Dark Mark burned into her skin, the Dark Mark that had made sure Remus didn't believe her when she tried to tell him, the Dark Mark that meant she couldn't tell the Ministry the truth herself.

And it was the Dark Mark that was about to betray her again. By now, Sirius would know what Naomi had become – Remus wouldn't have kept it from him after today – and it wouldn't be long before the Ministry was at her door to arrest her. Sighing shakily, trying not to cry, she looked around her small flat, wondering how long it would take to pack up and leave town.

"After dinner," she muttered to herself. "I'm no good with an empty stomach…" She turned back to the vegetables she was preparing, swore under her breath at the sight of the cookbook, and pushed it to one side, setting a carrot on the board instead, but a loud knock on her door startled her and made her drop it.

_No… they can't be here for me already… can they?_ she wondered desperately. _Oh God, it's all over. Remus told Sirius everything, and now he's here to take me to Azkaban…_

"Who is it?" she called to the door. There was no answer. She frowned. Picking up her wand on the kitchen table, she went to the door and stood in front of it. At a studiously nonchalant wave of her wand, a large portion of the door disappeared, allowing her to look out into the hallway, but not allowing the person coming for a visit to see her. And the person she saw was the last one she'd ever expect.

_What in the name of Merlin is he doing here? _she asked herself. The wizard outside her flat wasn't one she'd ever been on good terms with, and she'd never thought she'd have to deal with him again. But she knew that if she didn't open her door, he'd find another way in. _And he's got no reason to hurt me; we're supposedly on the same side now…_ Swallowing a large lump in her throat, Naomi glanced down at her left forearm where she could faintly see the outline of a skull and snake.

With a heavy sigh, she opened her door. The wizard didn't give her any verbal greeting, but pushed her aside and closed the door himself. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked evenly.

The wizard turned to face her and lowered his hood, revealing long blond hair that wasn't as sleek and shiny as she was used to seeing. His face looked worn and stressed, not the arrogant mask he usually wore. The arrogance was still there, but six months on the run had done a number on Lucius Malfoy. "I'm here on business, Watts," he said smoothly. "Our master has sent me to make certain you are still willing to serve him."

_Do I really have a choice in the matter?_ "Of course I'm willing to serve him, Lucius. Why isn't he here himself?"

"Because he is not well enough for travel," Malfoy said patronizingly. "I've been following you for two days, Watts, and I noticed today you caught up with an old friend."

"Sirius Black can hardly be called an old friend," Naomi said, trying to hold back the sadness she felt at admitting this aloud. "He'll know by now what I've become, and it's only a matter of time before I'm on the run just as you are."

"True, sad but true." Malfoy pulled a sorrowful face. "Unless, of course, Black is taken out of the picture."

Naomi stared at him. "What do you mean?" She tried to keep her tone even, but her heart was pounding fearfully.

"I've developed a plan that will get rid of Sirius Black once and for all," Malfoy said. "He's become rather bothersome to the Dark Lord, and he must be eliminated. His _family_ too," he added in a sneer. "Harry Potter must be captured again, obviously – there'll be no bungling like that of Pettigrew this time. And Lupin… well, I have my own plans for Lupin, and this is where you come in, Watts."

_Oh God, what's he going to do with them?_ Naomi hoped Malfoy couldn't hear how hard her heart was pounding. "What do you need me to do?" she said in a surprisingly calm voice, considering her current inner state of panic.

"Were you aware that Lupin has replaced you?"

Naomi blinked. "Replaced me? What do you mean?"

"He's got a new woman. A Muggle, by the looks of her," Malfoy said lightly. "Oh, you didn't know. It's sickening the way he looks at her – it was the same way he looked at you. Disgusting…"

"He's seeing somebody?" Naomi whispered. "Who is she?"

"I do not know," Malfoy said carelessly. "What I do know is that Lupin seems to care for her deeply. And I also know that he is a werewolf. Did you know, Naomi, that werewolves can be used for many resurrection spells?"

Naomi shook her head, forcing herself to stand still. She couldn't back away from him, that would be admitting weakness, and Lucius Malfoy was just as much a predator as Remus in his transformed state. Showing weakness would be fatal…

"Oh, yes. The transformative aspect of the full moon can be harnessed to help one who has become- disembodied return to a fleshly form. The spells are very difficult, though, and involve a human sacrifice – quite messy…"

Naomi could just imagine the form the sacrifice would take. _No. No. Even if I can't have him anymore, I can't let this happen to him, he'd go mad if he thought he'd killed someone – him, why am I worried about him, what about me? What's my part going to be?_

"Our master requests your service in his return to power, Naomi," said Malfoy lazily. "Oh, don't look so shocked, you won't be the sacrifice," he said in disgust when he caught a glimpse of Naomi's face. "Lupin's new woman can have that part, all she's good for, really. But you must be present to help cast the spell." Malfoy smirked and took a few steps closer to her. She tried not to cringe away from him. "It takes two loyal subjects to cast it, Naomi," he said in a husky voice. "Two working closely together…"

Her hands twitched, aching to slap him, for using her first name, for speaking to her in that tone, for even daring to suggest this to her. She resisted with great difficulty. "And how will you get… Lupin and his woman?"

"I will see to that," Malfoy said crisply. "All that you need concern yourself with is arriving at my manor by midnight on the night of the full moon."

Naomi nodded stiffly, not looking at the wizard. "I will be there," she said quietly.

"Excellent," Malfoy whispered, raising her chin with his pale finger. "Soon, Naomi, we will be the highest of the Death Eaters, honored above all others. I believe a celebration is in order, don't you?"

Though Naomi burned to slap him, she reminded herself what she'd done with her life, and allowed him to connect his lips to hers. She'd betrayed her friends and her love, let a madman brand her, and this was what her life had become. It was no more than she believed she deserved.

* * *

"Meghan."

It was the morning of the full moon, and Meghan was being difficult. He sighed. "Meghan, wake up," he said a bit louder. "Come on, we're going to Hogwarts today."

Meghan rolled over, facing him, and opened one silver-gray eye slightly. "Go 'way, Harry," she muttered tiredly.

Harry rolled his eyes. Meghan looked and acted just like Letha, except for two things: her eyes and her attitude in the mornings. Those were just like Sirius. Well, maybe three. Letha didn't like pranks as much as Meghan did. "Meghan, you gotta get up. We got to have breakfast and pack our bags before we go to Hogwarts. Then you can meet Hagrid and see the Giant Squid, and you might even get to see Professor Potato Head."

This woke Meghan up. "The one Dadfoot doesn't like?" Over the last few weeks, Meghan had adopted a new nickname for her father. She hadn't been sure what to call him at first, although Letha had encouraged Daddy or Dad. When she had heard Remus calling Sirius Padfoot, she had latched onto it and sculpted it into her own name for him.

"That's him." Harry grinned. "We can probably get Peeves to throw water balloons at him. Last year, Peeves dumped a bucket of water and shampoo on his head."

Meghan giggled. "Will we get to go in the forest?"

Harry's grin faded. "No," he said quietly. "Sirius won't let me go into the forest." He'd had a very bad experience with the forest the year before, having been kidnapped by Peter Pettigrew just at the edge of the trees. "But we might get to go to the Quidditch pitch."

"What's Quidditch?"

"What's all the noise in here?" The bedroom door opened and Sirius poked his head in, his hair its usual morning mess. "Do you two realize that it's not even eight in the morning yet?"

"Sirius, when do we get to go to Hogwarts?" Harry asked excitedly, running to the door and pulling his godfather all the way into the room. "Can we go _now_?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "No, we can't go now, Harry. We have to wait at least until everyone wakes up and gets something to eat. Remus and Letha are still asleep, and none of us have had breakfast. Depending on how the morning goes, we'll probably leave for Hogwarts around lunchtime."

Meghan and Harry groaned in unison. "_Please_ can we go now, Dadfoot?" Meghan asked in her best begging tone, her eyes forming the puppy-dog look Sirius had mastered in his younger years.

It looked like Sirius was about to cave with the look his daughter was giving him, but Aletha entered at that very moment, ruining all chances the children had of getting Sirius to take them to Hogwarts early. "What are you two doing?" the witch asked.

"Ganging up on me," Sirius said, tearing his eyes away from his daughter's with an effort. "They've already learned that double-teaming me to get what they want will work."

"That's because you're too soft. Come on, you two, breakfast," Aletha said.

"What, I don't get breakfast?" Sirius asked, following his godson and daughter out of the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen.

Aletha turned to him. "Only if you want to make it. What do I look like, a house-elf?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Do you want to sleep on the Quidditch pitch tonight while we're at Hogwarts?"

"Will you be there with me?"

"No."

"Then no, I do not want to sleep on the Quidditch pitch."

"Okay, then get started on breakfast."

Sirius furrowed his brow. "How did that happen?" he wondered aloud as Aletha grinned triumphantly. He rummaged in the refrigerator for eggs, trying to ignore the giggles of Harry and Meghan behind him.

* * *

It ended up being late in the afternoon before Sirius, Aletha, Meghan, and Harry left for Hogwarts. After seeing them off at the fireplace, Remus went to heat the last batch of the Wolfsbane Potion that had been delivered a few days before by Severus Snape. Dumbledore had asked the Hogwarts Potions Master to prepare the potion for Remus, to make his full moons easier. Snape had grudgingly agreed.

Remus stirred the bubbling potion in his cauldron, making sure it didn't stick and burn. There was nothing worse than burnt Wolfsbane Potion – he'd found that out a few months back when he'd had to go investigate an odd noise in the backyard caused by Harry and Sirius' attempts at a new prank gone bad. The two of them had tried to do something to Remus' shoes, and it had resulted in an explosion and the shoes growing teeth, chasing them all around the yard until Remus finally had the sense to use a body-bind spell on them. Before then, he'd never known that a body-bind spell worked on non-human targets.

Smiling at the memory of that day, Remus failed to notice the odd swirls the potion was displaying as he stirred it. He found a cup, filled it with the silver-black liquid, and pinched his nose, swallowing the disgusting concoction in four large gulps.

_Good Lord, it's even worse than usual._

Once he was finished with the potion, he started to make his way to the sink to rinse out his cup and get a drink of water. Halfway there, with very little fanfare, the world faded to black around him, and only a vague feeling of worry and a horrid taste in his mouth accompanied him into the darkness.

* * *

Danger tucked Neenie into bed at eight o'clock that night after reading the girl a bedtime story. After kissing her sister's forehead, she stood up, shut off the bedside lamp, and left the bedroom, leaving the door open enough for her to hear if Neenie called for her in the night.

She made her way down to her kitchen, trying not to look out the window. She knew Remus was alone tonight, probably in the basement of his cottage already, waiting for his transformation to happen, if it hadn't happened already – she wasn't sure when moonrise was that night.

He'd explained to her all about the Wolfsbane Potion and how it made him harmless to humans in his transformed state. He'd also told her that thanks to the potion, after his transformation, he wouldn't be as useless as he'd once been. He'd be a bit stiff and sore, but not beaten and bloody, and he'd be able to go about his day almost normally. And then he'd asked her if she wanted to go out for dinner with him two nights from the full moon, just the two of them.

Her fingers trailed across the slim wooden wand she'd bought at Diagon Alley a week ago, with Remus beside her. She smiled at the memory of the way he'd reddened and stammered when he'd asked her to dinner, and rolled her eyes at the look of shock on his face when she'd said yes – he'd obviously been expecting a no. As she filled the tea kettle at the sink, she sighed a bit dreamily at the thought of getting to know Remus better. Then she laughed at how like a lovesick teenager she was acting.

_There's no better way to turn a man off than drooping and sighing all over him,_ she thought, putting the kettle on the stove. _Just be yourself. He's obviously attracted to that._

Sitting down at the kitchen table, she picked up the book she'd been trying to finish reading for months. She'd have a cup of tea, and then bed.

Just as the kettle whistled, all the lights in the house went out.

Danger closed her book and reached for her wand, feeling around the table for it. _Damn it,_ she cursed mentally. _Where is it?_

In another instant, she froze. She could sense another presence in the kitchen with her, and it wasn't Neenie…

"Good evening," a man's voice said, as cold and smooth as a river of ice. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of being introduced." Danger blinked as her shadow appeared in front of her, and slowly turned around to face the light and the speaker. Her mouth went dry as she got a good look at him. "My name is Lucius Malfoy…"

* * *

**AN: **Does this make up for my not updating this in a month? Sorry about that... You wouldn't believe the writer's block I had with this story... Oh well, seems to be over now. Please review! And, as always, thanks to Anne for her contributions to the chapter! 


	8. Complications

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Eight_

Hermione Granger was jolted out of her sleep by a loud crash somewhere below her. At first she thought Danger had maybe knocked something over, but a few seconds later, there was another crash, and then silence. Neenie got out of bed, slid her feet into a pair of fuzzy blue slippers, and went out into the hallway, intent on seeing what those noises had been.

Something felt wrong to her about this silence. Normally, she would have called out for Danger, asked what was going on, but something told her to stay quiet. She crouched down, hiding in the shadows of the stairs, and peered cautiously around the banister. All the lights in the house were out, save what looked like a flashlight in the kitchen. She could see two shadows – one was tall and unfamiliar, while the other was on the floor, struggling to sit up. Neenie could tell by the silhouette that the one on the floor was her sister – no one else she knew had that hair.

Neenie wanted to panic, but didn't. Instead, she tried to listen to what the tall shadow was saying. It wasn't easy; the man wasn't speaking loudly. But Neenie was able to hear a few words, like "Lupin" and "poisoned" and something about a Dark Lord coming back to power – apparently Danger would have a large part in this. Throughout all this, Danger didn't say a word. Neenie wondered if she even could; Danger wouldn't have been this silent unless something or someone was keeping her that way.

"Now, where's that brat of yours?" asked the man, and Neenie knew her sister wasn't the only one in trouble. Danger tried to stand, but the tall shadow waved some sort of stick, sending her flying into the wall with a horrible crash, and turned towards the stairs. Holding her breath, Neenie ran back up to her bedroom, opened her window, and crawled onto the narrow ledge. Just outside her window was a large tree, thick with branches and leaves. She grabbed the closest branch, pulled herself over to the tree, and hid behind the part that was thickest with leaves.

She peeked through the branches as her bedroom door burst open and the tall man entered. His hair was very long for a man, and so blond it was nearly white. He looked all around the room, under the bed, in the closet, but he didn't think to look out the window. Neenie had to stuff her arm in her mouth to keep herself from giggling crazily. Finally, the man looked at his pocket watch, swore under his breath, and left the room.

Neenie waited for a few minutes to see if the man was going to come back. When he didn't, she climbed back through the window and moved stealthily through the house, searching for any sign of her sister or the man. All she found was a shattered teacup on the kitchen floor.

"Danger?" she called out cautiously, hoping for a response, but sighed when Danger didn't answer her. She looked over at the telephone on the kitchen wall for a moment, wondering if she should maybe call the police. But she remembered the stick the tall man had – a wand, her mind supplied. She'd seen Remus, Letha, Sirius, and even Danger use one. And something told her the police wouldn't be much help in this situation. In fact, a voice in her head, one she'd never heard before, scoffed at the very thought of the Muggle police.

Neenie's brow furrowed at the word 'Muggle.' She'd heard it before, but never used it, so why would she think it so easily?

Her feet took her almost automatically, as though someone was guiding her, into the living room and the fireplace. She looked into the empty grate in confusion for only a moment, until her eyes drifted to the mantle and the small jar of greenish-blue powder.

Until just a few weeks ago, Neenie had no idea that it was possible to be transported by a fireplace. Remus had come over one day, stepping out of bright green flames, and offered to take Neenie back to the cottage to see Harry and Meghan. He'd promised it was very safe to travel through fireplaces, but Neenie hadn't missed the fact that he looked slightly sick when he'd come out of the fireplace.

It'd been an interesting sensation, twirling so fast through flames – it didn't burn like one would think, but tickled – and she'd even seen into a few houses when she'd ventured to take her face out of the crook of Remus' shoulder to look. Floo travel, Remus had called it. The only problem was that Neenie couldn't remember exactly how Remus made the Floo work.

_Say where you want to go, and throw a handful of powder at your feet_, said that voice.

_But where do I want to go?_ Neenie asked the voice. _To Harry's?_

_No,_ the voice said a bit grimly._ You won't find anybody there… No, you want to go to the Hogwarts kitchens. You'll find help for your sister there. So when you get your Floo powder, say 'Hogwarts Kitchens,' and that's where you'll go._

Neenie remembered vague stories about bad things that happened to people who had voices in their heads and did what the voices told them to do, but she didn't have any good ideas of her own, so she ignored the stories and pulled a chair over to the fireplace to get down the jar of Floo powder.

Even with the chair, she was still too short, so she jumped off the chair, pushed it firmly against the wall, and climbed back up again. This time, she pulled herself up, balancing on the tips of her toes on the back of the chair, grinning at the thought of how Danger would yell at her if she'd been there. Very carefully, she reached out for the glass jar, brushing it with her fingertips. She stretched out her hand a little further, and almost fell off the chair in surprise as the jar flew into her open palm. Smiling, she pulled the jar closer to her, tucked it into her arm, and hopped off the chair.

She took the lid off the jar and set it down on the chair before taking a small handful. Looking uncertainly around her, she stepped into the empty fireplace and remembered what the voice had told her. With a deep breath, she said very clearly, "Hogwarts kitchens!" and threw the powder at her feet.

Her eyes shut tightly as bright green flames burst up all around her. She found herself being thrown around within the fireplaces as though she was being tossed up a large tube. Before the trip was over, she wasn't sure she liked Floo travel much, at least not without Remus.

* * *

Sirius was just sitting down beside Aletha in the Hogwarts kitchens with a large plate of sandwiches given to him by the house-elves. Harry and Meghan both had large slices of chocolate cake in front of them, over Aletha's protests. She'd said that if the kids were full of sugar, they'd never go to bed, but Sirius argued that they were at Hogwarts, and he hadn't planned on going to bed until late anyway, and besides, Meghan still hadn't seen how the Marauder's Map or Invisibility Cloak worked. 

"Are you really going to eat all that?" Aletha asked him with a raised eyebrow.

Sirius swallowed a large bite of chicken sandwich. "If I didn't, it would be a great insult to these excellent house-elves, wouldn't it?" He gestured around to the elves, some of which were blushing at his words. "And an insulted house-elf could mean nothing good come breakfast time."

Aletha only rolled her eyes, her lips twitching, muttered something that sounded like "hopeless," and went back to her apple pie. Harry and Meghan were chattering happily about what they'd done so far that evening – seeing the Giant Squid ranked as the most exciting.

Suddenly a whooshing sound erupted behind them. Sirius spun around to the fireplace, now filled with emerald green flames.

"Who would be Flooing in at this hour?" Aletha asked, walking with Sirius to the fireplace, where a very small form was now materializing. Sirius held out his arms automatically to catch the person as they fell out of the fire.

"NEENIE!" Harry and Meghan yelled excitedly from the table.

Sirius looked down at the bushy, soot-covered head. "Neenie?" he repeated in confusion, kneeling to set the girl on her feet. He looked over at Aletha, who had a similar look of surprise on her face. "Where's Danger?" he asked, looking back to the fireplace, expecting it to fill with flames again.

"She's not coming," Neenie said, waving hello to Meghan and Harry. "I came alone."

Sirius furrowed his brow. "You came alone?" he repeated slowly. He'd never seen a six-year-old use the Floo by herself.

"Neenie," Aletha said, coming to stand beside her husband. "Why isn't Danger coming?"

Neenie looked up at her. "I don't know where she is," she said. "There was a man in our house, and he took her somewhere." She quickly, and to Sirius' surprise, quite calmly, told him and Aletha what she'd heard.

Sirius cursed. Aletha's slap to his shoulder was automatic and half-hearted, as he could hear her muttering curses of her own under her breath. "He mentioned Remus?" he asked, his heart pounding. "You're sure?"

Neenie nodded.

Sirius stood up. "Letha, get to Dumbledore. Tell him what Neenie's told us."

"And where are you going?" Aletha asked, obviously not wanting to stay behind.

"First, I'm going to check on Remus, and if he's not there, I'm going to Malfoy Manor."

"How do you know it was Malfoy that took Danger?"

"Neenie, do you remember what the man looked like?" he asked the little girl.

She nodded. "He was tall, and had long blond hair, longer than yours."

Sirius looked at Aletha. "And he had a wand. What else do I need to know?"

Aletha nodded grimly. "Just be careful," she said.

"I will." Sirius kissed her quickly. "Harry, you behave for Aletha."

"Is Remus okay?" the boy asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's fine, kid," Sirius said, smiling gamely as he tried to convince himself. "I'll see you lot in a bit, then."

* * *

Something wasn't right. His head was pounding, his body ached all over, and he was pretty sure he'd gone blind. But as his eyes began to adjust, and he looked around his surroundings, he found his eyesight was fine. It was simply that wherever he was (it definitely wasn't his basement) was very dark, so that there was nothing to see. He took a deep breath and tried to sit up, but fell back down almost immediately – his arms wouldn't support him. 

"Where am I?" he asked himself in a raspy voice. The last thing he clearly recalled was taking his potion. _So that would mean it's the full moon,_ he thought. _Or maybe the full moon's already passed…_ Because if it was still the full moon, he should have transformed…

Before he could ponder any further, a door crashed open, bright light flooding into the room very briefly. He threw his hand up to shield his eyes, hoping to see who'd opened the door, but all he saw was a form being flung into the room and the door being slammed shut again.

"Bloody git," said a familiar voice. It made Remus' stomach clench. She couldn't be here…

"Danger?" he said into the darkness, squinting to see.

"Remus!" she said in relief. "Oh, thank God… Are you okay?"

"Fine," Remus lied. "You?" As much as he liked hearing her voice, he would have preferred to have heard it when he was more aware of where they were.

"All right," she said. "Stay there, I'll come to you."

Remus pushed himself up as best he could, ignoring the soreness of his joints and muscles. A few moments later, he felt a hand brush his leg, then his thigh, then…

"Oh – sorry," Danger said, snatching her hand away. He could hear in her voice the blush that was sure to be staining her cheeks right now.

"S'alright," he said, trying not to laugh, or to think impure thoughts. This really wasn't the time for that. He reached out and touched her shoulder, thankful for the contact. "Any idea where we are?" he asked when she sat beside him, shoulder-to-shoulder.

"Not really," she replied quietly. "I was knocked out until just a few minutes ago. That jerk Malfoy brought me here, if that's any help."

Remus cursed. "I was really hoping you wouldn't say that…" He sighed, then gasped sharply as pain shot through his head. "Something's not right here, Danger…"

"You mean, besides us being locked in a dungeon room by a psycho who's probably going to kill us?" she said innocently.

"Yes, besides that." Remus groaned as the pain in his head got worse momentarily, then began to ease. "This might sound stupid, but has the full moon passed?"

Danger took a long time to answer. "No," she said finally, almost under her breath. "It hasn't. It's still the full moon night, and last I saw, it was around nine o'clock…"

"What?" he breathed in horror. None of this was making any sense. "Why am I not…? How come I haven't…?"

"Why have you not transformed?" Danger finished for him. He nodded, although he knew she couldn't see him. "Malfoy somehow tampered with your potion. He put something in it that delays your transformation a few hours – four, I think he said."

"What's the point of that?"

"He said we're going to be part of a ceremony, something about harnessing your transformation magic."

He was afraid to ask, but he had to. "And what has he brought you for?"

"Oh, I'm here for the human sacrifice," she said flippantly. "The word 'human' being used loosely, as he was so kind as to inform me."

Remus closed his eyes in pain of more than one kind. _Can this get any worse?_ he wondered miserably. He'd finally found a woman he could see himself being involved romantically with, one he was sure he was falling in love with, and now they'd been thrown into this. _I knew I never should have gotten involved with her…_

"Not exactly the first date I'd imagined we'd have," he said hoarsely.

"But it's so romantic," she said in a fake bubbly voice. "All we need now is a candlelight dinner."

He chuckled a little, surprised. "Not many people would be so optimistic when they know they're about to be mauled to death by a monster."

"I think it's shock."

"That works for me. How do you know all about Malfoy's plan, anyway?"

He could almost see her roll her eyes. "He's a classic evil villain," she said. "It seems nobody ever taught him the dangers of monologuing when he's kidnapping someone. So what do we do now?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. We could try to find a way out, but I couldn't begin to tell you where the door is."

"In the wall, maybe?" she said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Can you stand?"

"Haven't tried yet," he said. "I'm thankful to be sitting right now–"

Further discussion was impossible as a bright light suddenly filled the room again, temporarily blinding both of them. Remus automatically felt around for Danger's hand and held it tightly in his own, waiting for his eyesight to come back. A tall, blurred figure swam into his field of vision, and he blinked hard, bringing it more into focus by the second. When he could finally identify the person, he was sorry he'd worked so hard.

He'd expected to see Lucius Malfoy smirking coldly at him, or maybe another Death Eater. He hadn't expected to see his ex-fiancée standing in front of him. (_Well, she _is_ another Death Eater,_ his unhelpful mind pointed out.) He didn't know whether to glare at her or beat his head against the floor in the hopes it would wake him up from this nightmare. He settled for slipping his arm around Danger and pulling her closer, protectively.

"Hello, Remus," Naomi said quietly, closing the door she'd come through – it disappeared into the wall. "I'd say it's good to see you, but I'm sure you won't agree with that…"

"What are you doing here?" Remus growled. "You're a part of all this, aren't you?"

"It's not like that," she said, her eyes resting on Danger for a long moment. "Malfoy came to me, told me what he planned, and I've been trying to figure out for two days how I can help you…"

"Yeah?" Remus said, anger bubbling over inside him. "You didn't think of warning us?"

"Would you have believed me, or would you have had me arrested?" Naomi asked.

Remus' glare hardened. "It just wasn't enough for you to break my heart, was it, Naomi? Now you want to see me kill someone?"

"Remus, please!" she begged. "I never wanted to see you hurt, and I swear I don't want to see you kill someone. I know what I did tore you apart, and you've no idea how sorry I am. It was the biggest mistake of my life, and I'm paying for it with every day that goes by that I'm not with you. Please, let me help you…"

Remus chanced a glance at Danger. He'd never told her about Naomi, hoping he could just let the past die, but Danger didn't look at all surprised at what she was hearing. _She knows all about me through her dreams. That probably means she knows about Naomi too._ He was becoming a bit fed up with not being able to tell her things on his own. But he couldn't let bitterness towards Naomi get in the way of a chance to save Danger. He'd always been able to read Naomi quite well – _every time except the one that mattered, when she betrayed you_ – but the pain in her eyes couldn't possibly be counterfeit.

"How?" he asked grudgingly.

Naomi breathed a sigh of relief. "Malfoy will be back any minute, so escaping isn't an option. Besides, I don't think you'd be able to Apparate out of here, anyway. But this ceremony he wants to perform, it's on a time limit – he's only got five to seven minutes to harness the magic from your transformation at midnight before his little plan is ruined."

"What kind of ceremony is it?"

"He's trying to resurrect Voldemort again," she said quietly. "All I really know about it is that it requires a human sacrifice." She glanced quickly at Danger. "I can try to distract Malfoy when he gets ready to use the spell that will capture your magic, and after that, we'll have to improvise."

Remus turned to Danger. "What do you think?" he asked her.

"I think you should trust her," Danger said bluntly. "It's the only chance we have."

He turned back to Naomi. "Alright, I'll trust you. But Naomi, I swear to you, if this is a trick…"

"It's not," she assured him quickly. "I promise you, Remus, you will both get out of here alive."

"Promises don't mean anything to me when they come from you."

Naomi winced as though she'd been slapped. She glanced at her watch. "I have to go," she said, her voice tight. "I am sorry about this, Remus…"

Before she left, Danger called out, "Wait!" Naomi turned back. "Did Malfoy bring a little girl with him? She looks like a smaller me…"

Naomi furrowed her brow and shook her head. "No," she replied. "He just brought you."

Danger relaxed against Remus. "Thank God," she breathed. "She hid from him…"

Remus brushed a kiss against her temple. "I'm sure Neenie's fine," he said. He had thought about where Danger's little sister was, but hadn't wanted to ask. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to know…

Naomi bit her lip and turned away to the wall, tapping her wand against it. The door appeared, and she left.

Once Naomi was gone, the doorway disappeared again, and they were plunged into darkness. "I guess now we just wait," Danger said, slipping her arms around Remus' waist and resting her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry," he told her, feeling his throat tighten with emotions too numerous and complicated to name.

"For what?"

"For bringing you into this. You don't deserve this, Danger."

"What, I don't deserve to be with a man I care very deeply for?" Danger snorted. "And here I thought you liked me."

Remus chuckled and rested his cheek against her hair. "Whatever happens, please know that I never wanted this for you. I'd do anything to keep you safe, and…"

"And?" Danger prompted.

He hesitated. He knew what he _wanted _to say, but the words just didn't want to come out. _You've only known her for a month,_ his mind said. _It's far too soon for all that…_

_Shut up,_ said the voice that had been plaguing him since he met Danger. _What do you know?_

Remus mentally snorted a laugh as the two voices began to argue. He tuned them out, the way he did Sirius and Aletha when they fought, and looked back to Danger. Though the room was dark again, he could see her face clearly, turned up to him, and that was all the encouragement he needed.

"I love you," he whispered, before kissing her thoroughly.

* * *

Far above Remus and Danger, a little boy was just waking up from one of the dreams he liked so much. What had woken him wasn't clear until he saw the familiar outline of his father standing beside his bed. Instinctively, he shrank back against the pillows, wondering if his father had found out about his dreams, and if he was about to get hit again. 

He hadn't been hit in a long time, but his father had come home a week before and caught him trying to sneak into the piano room – he'd never actually played the piano, but some of the people in his dreams did, and he'd just wanted to look at it. His left shoulder was still sore from where his father had yanked him out of the room.

_But I haven't done anything today, have I?_

"Hello, Draco," his father said quietly. "It's time to get up, my son."

Draco's brow furrowed as he looked at his bedside clock. It was eleven-thirty at night.

His father answered the question before he could ask it. "It is time, Draco, for you to see what it is to be a Malfoy. Soon the Dark Lord will return, and you, your mother, and I can finally be a family once more."

This did nothing to calm Draco's nerves. It was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to hear. Regardless, he got out of his bed and took his father's hand, and his father led him out of his bedroom and down the hall.

Now more than ever, he wanted to go back to sleep and get back to his dream world, the one where he felt safe no matter what, where nobody ever hit him or scared him. He had no idea what he was about to see, but he already didn't like it. But he didn't want to get hit again, so he went down the stairs with his father, all the way to the basement.

A blonde woman he'd never seen before was kneeling before an armchair, her head bowed. Draco looked at the armchair and his eyes widened in fear. He wanted to run, but his hand was held in a painfully tight grasp. He could almost hear his father's voice – "You can't escape me, Draco. You can never escape me."

* * *

**AN: **Yes, little Draco is very sad. Yes, I'm a horrible person for putting him through this. No, I do not have a conscience. So I'm thinking two more chapters before this is done, and judging by my updating schedule for this story, you've got another two months before that time comes... Update on Resolutions tomorrow night. Thanks to Anne for helping out with the chapter. And that is all for tonight, I think. G'night! 


	9. Weird and Weirder

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Nine_

"Remus!"

Sirius hadn't even fully Apparated into the cottage before he began shouting for his best friend. The entire house was in darkness, something he was far from used to – they always kept the kitchen light on dimly when they went to bed in case one of the kids got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or something. Not to mention Sirius was usually half awake when _he_ got up in the middle of the night, so it kept him from bumping into things too much.

"_Lumos_," he muttered, going into the kitchen and feeling around for the light switch. None of the lights were working, and he couldn't understand why – Remus' cottage ran on magical power, since it was so far away from the nearest village, and magical power didn't have outages the way Muggle power did.

He held his wand high over his head and looked around the kitchen, trying to find any sign of his best friend. There were plenty of signs, just nothing that made him any less nervous about what had happened to Remus. He stuck his nose into the cauldron of Wolfsbane Potion on the stove and recoiled from the putrid stench – the stove hadn't been turned off, and the potion had burnt. _And I thought the smell was disgusting normally…_ With a wave of his wand, the potion disappeared from the cauldron, and with another wave, the stench was gone.

On the floor was a shattered goblet lying beside a pool of the non-burnt potion. _Well, that means Remus drank some of his potion tonight, _Sirius thought. _But why does that give me a really bad feeling? Oh right, Neenie said Remus was poisoned. Brilliant. And there's not much point in staying here – if he was here, he would have made some sort of noise to let me know – unless he's unconscious. _

"Why am I wasting my time here?" Sirius muttered aloud. "I already know he's at Malfoy's." Sighing heavily, he looked around the kitchen again. "And why am I talking to myself?"

Trying not to think about how less than a year ago he'd been going through nearly the same situation with Harry, he did a quick check around the cottage, just to be sure. When he was finished, he planned to Apparate to the Ministry. With any luck, they could get to Remus before anything too horrible happened.

_He's transformed already, since the moon's up, so spells won't work on him, _he thought as he searched._ He might still be unconscious if Malfoy Stunned him, or knocked him out with a potion beforehand, but the transformation should nullify that pretty quickly. Now as long as the Wolfsbane still works – if the poison was in there, I could see some really bad side effects…_

_All right, disasterizing is not going to help. Assume the Wolfsbane worked and he's transformed but coherent. And not currently in trouble. In that case, he's probably pacing around, trying to figure out what Malfoy's going to do with him. I just wish _I_ knew what Malfoy was going to do with him. Why would he want a fully grown werewolf? _

_He's a Death Eater,_ said a voice he'd never heard before – he was quite used to the voices in his head, and this was definitely a new one. It sounded like a mix of Remus and Letha when he was being rather dim about a situation, but more impatient than either of them ever became with him. _What do you think a Death Eater would use a werewolf for on the full moon? And don't forget Malfoy also took Danger… _

_Oh, right… Great, Remus finally finds a girl he likes, and now Malfoy's probably going to make him – No, don't even finish that thought…_ Sirius shook his head hard to rid himself of bad mental images.

_Why are you still standing around?_ the voice demanded._ Shouldn't you be trying to save them?_

Sirius scowled. _Since when are the voices in my head so bloody bossy?_

_Someone's got to do it, mate. _

After rolling his eyes, Sirius took a deep breath and released it, trying to calm his nerves enough to Apparate to the Ministry. He really didn't need to be splinched tonight.

* * *

Back in Malfoy Manor, Remus wasn't pacing as Sirius thought he would be, but sitting against a wall, holding Danger against him, thankful the room was dark so she couldn't see the goofy grin on his face. **That had to be the best kiss I've ever had in my life…** he thought dreamily. 

**I agree.**

Remus jumped suddenly in surprise. That hadn't been his voice. It'd been in his head, but not him thinking it…

_And I know whose voice it _sounded_ like,_ _but that's not possible… Is it? _

Slowly, he looked down at Danger. He expected to see the top of her head, just like he had for the last ten minutes, but instead he was looking directly into her eyes. And she was smiling.

**C-can you hear me…? **he thought carefully.

She nodded. **I can, **she confirmed, sounding slightly amused. **Loud and clear.**

His mouth dropped open. "What in the name of Merlin…?" he said slowly.

She laughed aloud. **I'm not exactly sure, but I remember something from one of my dreams, the one about the wedding.**

"And?"

She snuggled up closer to him.** And we don't have to speak aloud to one another. All we have to do is think what we want to say to each other. **

**Oh, **he said, trying out the new form of communication. **And how is it that we can talk like this?**

**Don't know, **she said. **But it's related to something else. Something else that happens only between the two of us…**

**Is it something good?**

She nodded again. **Yes, it is. I just wish I could remember what it is…**

**Do you have any idea how eerie this is? I'm not exactly used to having someone in my head. **

**Well, I think we can close the connection,** she said.** What's wrong, Remus, something you don't want me to know about?**

**No, I think you already know all there is to know that I didn't _want_ you to know…**

She laughed. **You have to be the most secretive person I've ever met.**

**I've got a lot to keep secret. There aren't many people who would stick around once they found out I'm a werewolf. **

**I've stuck around. As have Sirius and Aletha. **

**So you have. **Remus hugged her tightly and dropped a kiss on top of her hair. **So you have. **

**So was that really the best kiss you've ever had?**

**By far,** he replied. **Granted, I've only ever kissed two women in my life – **

**That's more than I've kissed.**

He snickered.

**That's _not_ what I meant, **she said, slapping his leg. **If all you're going to do is laugh at me, then I'm – **

Her thoughts stopped suddenly as he gently took her chin in his hand, turned her face up towards his, and kissed her again. Neither of them were able to say anything for a few minutes.

**You set yourself up for that one, love,** he said when they came up for air. **It was just too good a chance to pass up. **

**You're forgiven, **she said. **As long as you keep kissing like that, you're forgiven for anything you do…**

He grinned at her, but it faded rather quickly. **Danger, **he began, and paused to swallow a large lump that had suddenly appeared in his throat. **We need to discuss what we're going to do about our… situation…**

**Our… Oh, right. For a minute there I forgot where we were.**

He raised an eyebrow. **How could you possibly have forgotten?**

**What, that kiss didn't make you forget?**

**Well, maybe for a little bit,** he admitted, smiling slyly. **But we have to get to business. **

**Aww. **

**No, I mean it. Any idea how much time has passed since Naomi was in here?**

**I don't know, a half hour, maybe? It was about 11:00 when she was in here – I glanced at my watch before the lights went out again. So if what she said was true, we have another half hour until Malfoy makes you transform, and after that…**

**And after that, we just have to hope she wasn't lying about wanting to help us.**

**She wasn't,** Danger said with certainty. **Don't ask me how I know, because I don't even know, but I do know. Naomi wasn't lying. She actually wants to help us. **

**I don't understand _how_ she can help us, though. It's not as though she's going to be able to talk Lucius Malfoy out of whatever he's planned. She said a distraction… What kind of distraction…?**

**Maybe she's going to kick him in the shins?**

Remus burst out laughing. **That does sound like something Naomi would do… **

**Is there any chance that someone on the outside could be coming to help?**

**I don't know how,** Remus replied, his laughter dying again. **Sirius is at Hogwarts with Letha and the kids, and the only person that knows we're here is Neenie. So unless she has somehow contacted somebody, I think we're on our own…**

Danger sighed. **Well, whatever happens, at least we know we'll be together.**

Remus raised a mental eyebrow at her. **Any other time, I would say that was one of the most romantic things anyone has ever said to me, but considering our current situation – **

Conversation was once again put on hold as, for the third time that night, a bright light filled the room. This time it wasn't as bad as before – the light shone directly on the spot Remus and Danger had been sitting in when Naomi had come in. Now they were out of its direct beam.

**Remus, look,** Danger said, staring at a wall to their right. Remus was sure it had been completely solid the last time he'd seen it, but now there was a large window in the middle of it. He'd seen something like this before, a few months after Peter Pettigrew's conviction.

Danger shivered in his arms and he looked at her in surprise. **That's really creepy…**

**What is? **

**Whatever it was you were just thinking about.**

_Oh,_ he thought, careful to keep it to himself. _Yes, seeing Peter get the Dementor's Kiss was rather creepy. _**I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to let you see that…**

**It's alright,**she replied. **Oh look, there he is. The self-proclaimed eighth wonder of the world. **

Remus straightened up and looked over at the window, looking coolly at the smirking Death Eater. **I had no idea you knew Lucius so well. **

**Some things are obvious. By the way, I didn't have a chance to tell you before, but I had the oddest feeling when he kidnapped me that I'd seen him somewhere before…**

"Isn't this sweet?" Malfoy said, his voice quite clear, even though he was standing behind a window. "A Muggle and a werewolf… It's such a shame that neither of you will live to see tomorrow."

Naomi appeared beside him, her face not betraying anything she was thinking or might do. Malfoy turned from the window for a moment to do something, and Naomi winked at Remus and Danger. Remus mentally sighed in relief that she hadn't forgotten about helping them. _She was always rather protective of me, and I wondered for a moment if she would want to get revenge on Danger or something, because I'm with her now…_

When Malfoy reappeared at the window again, he wasn't alone. In his arms, he carried a small boy about Harry's age, maybe a few months older, who looked almost exactly like the wizard.

**Oh my God!** Danger shouted mentally.

Remus winced as though she'd shouted in his ear. _But this is much worse, it's in my head… _**Do you have to do that? **

**I'm sorry,** she said quickly. **But I think this is important. You said you were having the same dreams as I was, didn't you? Does that little boy look at all familiar to you?**

Remus looked closer and thought back to the dreams he'd been having. The boy who wasn't Harry had been awfully blond…

**Yes,** he said slowly. **But that doesn't make sense – Malfoy would never let his son associate with blood-traitors, Mudbloods, and werewolves.**

**Maybe Malfoy didn't have a choice…**

Before Remus could work out exactly what she meant by this, Malfoy was speaking again. "In a very short time, Lupin, you and your woman will find out what happens to people who anger the Dark Lord. You've been a thorn in his side for many years, as has your friend Black – he will pay in the end as well. I hear he has a wife and daughter now. So much the better."

"Sirius will never let you near them," Remus said, in a tone far calmer than his actual feelings at the moment. "He'll find you, Lucius, and you'll be the one to pay."

Malfoy laughed coldly. "So you say, Lupin," he replied. "As it is your death that is nearing, I will not be the one to burst your bubble, as I believe the saying goes. But we've yet to hear from the Muggle. Danger, isn't it?"

"I have nothing to say to you," Danger said in a cold tone Remus had never heard her use.

"No?" Malfoy said in mock disappointment. "Surely there's something."

**Don't, **Remus warned as he caught her starting to give Malfoy a one-finger salute. **He'll take you seriously. **

**Good point.** Danger restricted herself to glaring.

"You're certain, then? Very well." Malfoy set his son down on something Remus couldn't see, probably a chair, giving the boy sufficient height to look into the room but freeing Malfoy's hands. "In that case, perhaps we should proceed; I have much better things I could be doing with my time than being in the presence of such filth." Remus was sure he saw the Death Eater's eyes dart over to Naomi, and something clicked in his head.

**I think I know what the distraction is,** he said, trying to fight down disgust and disappointment at the very thought of it.

**What?**

**He's attracted to Naomi. And she knows it, judging by the look on her face right now. She's going to use that against him somehow.**

**Has she done something like that before?**

**Once or twice, when James, Sirius, and I were trying to pull a prank. She would be our decoy if there was a wizard in our way – she'd flirt with him, get his attention elsewhere while we snuck in and did whatever we were doing. This was before we started dating, and I was never fond of using her like that, but she laughed about it, so James and Sirius never thought anything of it.**

**Wow, you three must have been horrors in school.**

**If we live through this, I'll have to introduce you to Minerva McGonagall – she'll happily tell you all the stuff we used to get up to at Hogwarts.**

**I'm going to hold you to that… **Danger's mental voice trailed off. **Remus, look at Malfoy's son, look at the way he's looking at us…**

Remus did, and he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to rush to the boy and hold him like he would Harry. The little boy, Draco, if his memory wasn't failing him – _Malfoy bragged about him so much when he was first born, it's hard to forget **–**_ had an expression on his face as though he wanted something really badly, but couldn't get to it. It was a look Remus knew well, one Harry used when he was waiting for Sirius to fall for a prank he'd set up. **What do you think he wants so badly?** he asked Danger.

**I don't know,** she said softly. **The only thing that gives Neenie that look is cupcakes that aren't cool enough to eat…**

Remus chuckled inwardly, careful not to let his amusement show on his face. _It might not be a good idea to have Malfoy see me laughing – he might think I'm laughing at him. Then again, Sirius would be quite proud if he got word of me laughing at his nemesis._

Malfoy disappeared from view, and Danger disentangled one hand from Remus to wave at the little boy. Timidly, he waved back, but quickly slapped his hand down again as his father reappeared in the window, smirk back in place and wand in his hand. Remus glanced upside-down at Danger's watch and saw the hands almost together, pointing at the twelve. His panic was returning as though it'd never left.

**You'd better get away,** he told Danger, trying to peel her off him. **There's not much room, but you might be able to… **He couldn't finish.

**I make my own decisions,** she told him firmly. **And I decide to stay right where I am. What do you think of that?**

**I think you're a goddamned bloody idiot. **

Malfoy waved his wand once, creating a hole in the window, and pointed the business end of the wand at Remus, muttering something in rapid ancient Latin under his breath. A familiar tightness in all Remus' muscles – the usual feeling of dread anticipation –

**I love you,** he told her just as the transformation took hold.

"I know," he vaguely heard her whisper. His back arched as the pain started coursing through his body. He closed his eyes tightly, trying not to scream aloud, though he knew Danger was getting the full blast of it because of their mind-connection.

_I wish I knew how that began…_ he thought distantly, clinging to the thought as a piece of sanity as his body twisted itself into a more canine structure.

At long last, it was over. Remus sprawled on the floor, panting. But oddly, he didn't feel any different than he had before the transformation had begun…

He was different, though. His normal form might have somewhat large and hairy feet, but they never looked like that. And there weren't four of them. _But I'm still thinking like a human. Even though Malfoy tampered with the potion. How…?_

And then he looked up and saw Danger looking back at him, her hands buried under the fur on his back. **Didn't know you were interested in hairy men,**he teased, the Marauder coming to the fore in lieu of his normal, more controlled personality, which seemed to have been temporarily supplanted by shock.

**Yes, well, normally I'm not, but I seem to have made an exception for you,**she teased back. **And I think I've just figured out that something else which happens between the two of us.**

**Yes?**

**Have you ever heard of a werewolf tamer?**

Remus blinked. **A what?**

**A werewolf tamer,** Danger repeated. **I think it's to do with our mind-connection – I have the power to keep you thinking like a human, even in your transformed state.**

Remus' knees (and elbows) almost buckled with relief. _If it's true… But it has to be true… I wouldn't be thinking like this if it wasn't… Oh God, this means I won't kill her. We can hold out, we can get out of this alive. _He found himself grinning at her the only way a werewolf could, mouth wide open and tongue hanging out. **That has to be the most wonderful thing I've ever heard. **

**I agree. But it might be a good idea to make Malfoy think nothing has changed,** she said. **If he does start thinking something is off, he might kill us both anyway.**

**Right. **_But the only way to make this whole thing seem real would be to… _

Moony growled low in his throat as he "caught" the human scent so near to him. Danger played along well, widening her eyes with the perfect amount of fear –_ I wonder how much of it is actually faked – _and carefully shrinking away against the wall.

"Nice doggy," she whispered shakily, backing away slowly as Moony turned and began to stalk his "prey."

**Nice doggy?**

**I never said improvisation was my strong point.**

Remus closed his eyes for a second as he advanced, and jumped a little as a second vision offered itself – a brown and gray werewolf stalking him – no, _her_ – he was seeing through Danger's eyes – and behind it – him –_this is going to be hard to get used to –_ he could see Malfoy at the window, practically rubbing his hands together with anticipation.

**Well, he seems to believe it. Let's keep going…**

Before their little acting game could go any further, though, a crash sounded behind Remus. He spun around. Malfoy had disappeared. The boy Draco was still visible, shrinking back on his chair and staring wide-eyed at something on the floor nearby, something which suddenly rose up and became Naomi.

"He's knocked out, though I don't know how long it will last," she told Danger. "Just stand still. I need to get you out of there before Remus decides you're good prey again."

"No, it's okay…" Danger began.

**NO!** Remus shouted in her ear.

Danger screwed up her face. **What?**

**Don't tell her anything. I'm still not sure of her loyalties.**

Remus got an image of Danger rolling her eyes but ignored it. Instead, he turned back to stalking. **Come on, play along. **

**Bossy.** Danger backed away, her breath coming shorter. **Are you always like this?**

**Constantly.** Remus growled in short bursts, the wolf's version of laughter, as Danger backed herself into a corner. **Ha-ha, I've got you now…**

A door slammed open behind him. "_STUPEFY!"_ shouted a powerful voice.

_Outside interference. No fair._

* * *

"What'd you do to him?" Danger demanded of Naomi as the witch entered the room. She kneeled down beside Remus, relieved to see he was still breathing. 

"He's stunned," Naomi said quietly, approaching them. "But I'm not sure how long it will last. I learned in Defense Against the Dark Arts that werewolves are semi-immune to most magics. Of course, you wouldn't know anything about Defense Against the Dark Arts…"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Danger said coolly, ignoring Naomi's raised eyebrow. "So what do we do now?"

Naomi threw a glance over her shoulder towards Draco, who was huddled in on himself, staring alternately at the spot where his father was presumably lying and in at Danger and Naomi. "There's something I need to do," she said quietly. "And it can't wait. Malfoy's little harnessing spell may not have been completed, but I don't know what he's done before all this."

"He's here, isn't he?" Danger said quietly, and not a bit fearfully.

Naomi raised the other eyebrow at her. "Who?"

"Oh, what's his name," Danger said impatiently. "Voldemort."

Naomi's jaw dropped. "You know about him?" she whispered, glancing at Remus' unconscious form. "He told you?"

"Yes," Danger replied. "He's told me many things. And I'm not as much of a Muggle as you believe I am."

"This is getting weirder and weirder," Naomi said to no one in particular.

_You have no idea,_ Danger thought, mentally smirking.

"You're a witch, then?" Naomi asked.

"Not until very recently, but yes, I am."

**You know, this story might have to wait until we're _out_ of this place,** came Remus' voice.

**You're awake?** Danger asked.

**I am, but don't tell Naomi that just yet.**

**Well, what should I do, then?**

**Why don't you ask the Death Eater?** Remus said rather bitterly. **She seems to have all this planned out…**

"All right, so you tell me," Danger said. "What should we do?" It might have been her imagination, but Naomi seemed to be looking at her oddly…

"Can you Apparate?" Naomi asked after a moment's thought. "Disappear from one place and appear in another?"

Danger shook her head. "No, not yet," she said regretfully. "I'm just a beginner magically."

"Well, that makes things harder." Naomi sighed. "Okay, the only chance I see of you making it out of here is by the front door. Narcissa – that's Lucius' wife – is probably either in bed or drinking herself into unconsciousness, so I don't think you'll have to worry about her. I'll take care of Lucius and… Voldemort," she said very quietly.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

Naomi looked at her in slight surprise. "Are you aware of the relationship Remus and I once had?"

"I am," Danger replied. "But I don't see how that answers my question."

"No, there is nothing you can do to help me. This is something I need to do. If for nobody else but myself," she added under her breath.

Danger nodded and looked over Naomi's shoulder to where Draco was now watching their exchange very closely. "What about him?"

Naomi looked at the little boy as well. "Honestly? I have no idea. With what he's seen tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if he has nightmares until his Hogwarts letter comes." She shook her head. "Malfoy always did have an odd idea of father-son bonding. I suppose the house-elf will take care of him, as much as it can… he's not really our problem, is he?"

"I'm going to make him my problem," Danger said. "I want to take him with me."

Remus' whole body twitched, making Naomi jump and stare. **What?** **Why would you do that?**

**There has to be a reason he was in our dreams, Remus. And after what I've just seen, I'm not going to leave him here.**

**And what are you going to do when Narcissa Malfoy comes after you for kidnapping her son?**

**I'll deal with that as it comes.**

Remus groaned. **I'm in love with a madwoman. **

**You noticed. How sweet. **

Naomi had transferred her stare back to Danger. "Where will you take him?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead," Danger admitted. "I just want to get out of here. With Draco, and with Remus. I'll figure out everything else later."

**This is a bad idea,** Remus said in a sing-song voice.

**Shut it,** Danger said.

Remus sighed, but said no more.

"All right, go ahead and take him," Naomi said, looking as though she was going to regret it. "Just get out of here, and fast. But no, wait – how are you going to deal with Remus?"

"Um," said Danger intelligently. **Help? **

**Thought you wanted me to shut it?**

Danger sent him a hard glare.

**Alright, alright.** Remus sighed silently. **Tell Naomi you were experimenting with advanced spells and learned one that can keep me under control. Tell her it's a lot like the Imperius Curse, but not as illegal.**

Danger did, and Naomi looked at her suspiciously. "What spell?"

"I don't know the name of it," Danger said. _It's not a complete lie…_ "But I know the incantation. Remus showed it to me weeks ago. It's a non-verbal spell," she added at Remus' silent insistence.

"If you say so," Naomi said, still suspicious.

"May I see your wand?"

After a bit of hesitation, Naomi handed Danger her wand, and Danger waved it over Remus, closing her eyes in feigned concentration. A moment later, Remus slowly stood up, his eyelids heavy as he tried to make the bewitchment over him seem as real as he could. Danger smiled and gave Naomi back the wand. "I'll take him from here. Come on, Moony. Good boy."

**First nice doggy, now good boy. You're determined to leave me no dignity at all, aren't you? **

**Of course. **Danger led Remus from the room, leaving Naomi staring after them with a look of complete confusion on her face.

In the next room, just as Danger opened the door, she heard a small thump, the kind produced by a pair of bare feet hitting a carpeted floor. "Hello," she said, smiling at the small boy who was looking at her warily.

"Hi." Draco was standing behind his chair. "Who're you?"

"My name's Danger."

"Why do you have a werewolf? Is he your pet?"

Danger had to fight to keep her lips from twitching at the question and Remus' look of mortification. "No, not my pet. He's my friend. His name is Moony."

"Moony," Draco repeated slowly, as though remembering something. "Is he going to hurt me?"

"No," Danger answered. "He's very safe. He might even let you ride on his back if you wanted."

**Excuse me,** Remus said, sounding somewhat offended. **Don't I get a say in this?**

**No.**

**Okay, then. I was just checking.**

Draco slowly approached Remus, reaching out a cautious hand which Remus sniffed at politely. The boy looked up at Danger in wonder, resting his hand on the werewolf's head. "He's not biting me."

"I told you he was safe."

"Would he really let me ride him?"

"Yes, he will," Danger said.

Remus gave a small, defeated sigh, then cocked his head at Draco. **Why doesn't he seem at all reluctant about trusting us? He's a Malfoy, and Malfoys as a rule don't trust anyone who's not pureblooded.**

**I don't know, but I don't think it's important right now.** "Draco, would you like to come with us?"

Draco's face suddenly lit up with hope, but it disappeared almost immediately as he glanced over at his unconscious father.

"He won't come for you," Danger said. "I promise."

Draco looked doubtful about this, but he seemed to be considering what Danger was saying. "I could really come with you?"

"If you like," Danger said.** I'm not about to force him to come.**

"And can I play with the other kids?"

Remus blinked. **I'm sorry, what?**

**Shh,** Danger said. "What other kids, Draco?"

"The black-haired boy and the girl who looks like you and the little dark girl."

**Harry, Neenie, and Meghan_…_ but how does he know about them? **Remus asked in confusion. **Do you think it's possible that he's had the same dreams we have?**

**I suppose.** "Yes," Danger said aloud to Draco. "They will be where we're going."

After a few moments of seemingly fierce internal debate, Draco nodded. "Okay. I'll go."

Remus frowned. **That was easy.** **Too easy, if you ask me.**

**Must you always be so pessimistic?**

**After the night we've had, yes, I must.**

**Well, stop.**

**Yes, Queen of the Universe.**

**That's right, and don't you ever forget it.**

**I am really in trouble.**

"Okay, Draco, we'll go right now," Danger said.

Draco hesitated, looking at Remus nervously. "Do I _have_ to ride on him?" he asked.

"No, if you'd like, I could carry you."

"What's that?"

**He's kidding, right?**

**No, I don't think he is,** Remus said sadly. **A lot of pureblooded children don't have any concept of what it is to be held or hugged or even loved in many cases. James and Naomi both came from decent pureblood families, but Sirius came from one much like the Malfoys. He had trouble getting a pat on the back without flinching away for years after I met him.**

**That's horrible.**

**Quite.**

"For me to carry you, Draco, means that I would pick you up and hold you, and you wouldn't have to walk. Would you like me to show you?"

Draco nodded slowly, so Danger knelt down and beckoned him closer. He stiffened noticeably as she took him in her arms and stood again, and as she settled him on her hip, she noticed that he was giving her an odd look. "Would you rather walk instead?"

Shyly, Draco shook his head. Danger smiled at him, and he gave her a small smile back.

**Okay, this is adorable, but we really need to get moving, **Remus said.

**Oh, right. Sorry. **Danger stepped out of the room, holding Draco tightly, Remus at her heels. **Which way? **

Remus raised his nose and sniffed. **Fresh air that way,** he said, nodding in the right direction.

One or two wrong corners later, they found a staircase and went up it. They reached a door, went through it, and –

"Stay where you are," said a voice in the shadows.

Danger's heart fell to her feet as she turned around. Draco made a small, stifled sound in his throat. **Oh, lovely,** Remus said sarcastically. **Danger, meet Narcissa Malfoy.**

"Come with me, please," the slim blonde woman said, turning away from Danger, Remus, and her son stiffly and moving swiftly down another hall.

**What more could possibly happen tonight? **Remus asked as they entered a well-lit room.

**Do you really want an answer to that?** Danger asked.

**No.**

Narcissa closed the door and turned back around. She began to speak, and Danger had a flashback to something Naomi had said, and something she had thought at the time.

"_This is getting weirder and weirder,_" Naomi had said.

"_You have no idea,"_ had been Danger's thought.

It seemed that Naomi wasn't the only one who'd had no idea how much weirder the night would become.

* * *

**AN: **Slowly but surely it's coming along. I'm actually rather happy with this chapter- it's a lot more than I can say of what I have of Resolutions right now. For those wondering, I have started the chapter for Resolutions, but I'm sure I'll be restarting it about ten times before I get it right. More Promises Forsaken either tonight or tomorrow, depending on who I get to edit. (Anne, you free? ;-)) Speaking of Anne, many, many thanks to her as always for editing and adding as she saw fit. One more chapter of Complicated. And if my ideas work like they should, it shouldn't be that long before the next update. Please review and let me know what you've thought so far! 

Oh, and for anyone interested, I've got review replies for chapter twenty of Resolutions on my bio page. See ya!


	10. Gone Mental, Back in a Few

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Ten_

Even though it was nearing one a.m., Aletha was wide awake. She was sitting on the sofa in the private quarters Dumbledore had given her, Sirius, Harry, and Meghan for the night, while the kids all slept on the floor.

_Well, not completely on the floor. I wonder where they got the idea to bring the mattresses from the beds in here…_

Either way, it made her life a little easier, being able to stay in the room with them but still close to the door so she'd know when Sirius came back, hopefully with Remus and Danger in tow. Dumbledore had left the school not long after Sirius, headed to the Ministry to see if Sirius and the Aurors needed any help. That had been hours ago, and she hadn't heard a word from anybody. She'd thought about sending her Patronus to Sirius to find out what was happening, but if the Aurors were trying to preparing a raid, Sirius couldn't exactly stop to send her a message back.

_He could have thought of letting me know what's going on, though, and I'll slap him when he gets back for not thinking of it. For now, I think I'll just sit here and worry._

But Aletha didn't like to sit and worry. It wasn't something she was good at or practiced in, and it was definitely not what she wanted to be doing right now. _What else could I do, though? I can't leave the children here alone. _

_No, but you could call a house-elf to watch them,_ said a voice in the back of her mind. _They're all asleep, and the chances of them waking up are slim. Even if they did, the house-elf would keep a close eye on them._

Aletha raised an eyebrow. _And why should I do what you say, voice in my head?_

_Because you want to be at Malfoy Manor with Sirius and Remus and Danger, _the voice said. _They're all there, and something is going to happen shortly that you need to be involved with._

_What is that?_

_I can't tell you that. I'm sorry. _Aletha noticed that the voice did seem truly remorseful that it couldn't tell her what was going on.

_Not that it would know, being a voice in my head… _She decided that she would be admitting herself to St. Mungo's after tonight for a full mental evaluation. _But that's tomorrow. No matter how crazy I've gone, I do want to see what's taking them so long. And if I really do need to be there, I'd better get a move on._

She went to the fireplace where a small golden bell sat on the mantel. Dumbledore had said that if they needed a house-elf – for whatever reason, Aletha remembered him saying – that all they needed to do was ring it, and one would arrive. She did so, and jumped as a sharp _crack_ sounded behind her almost instantly.

"Mistress calls," said the squeaky voice of one of the Hogwarts house-elves. Aletha was never sure how to tell if a particular house-elf was male or female. And she probably wouldn't have gone near enough to find out – she'd always found house-elves rather creepy.

"Um, yes," Aletha said, smiling kindly to the small creature. "I have to leave the school for a bit, and I was wondering if you could keep an eye on the children until I return. They're all asleep, so they shouldn't cause too much trouble."

The house-elf smiled and nodded. "Cherry will watch the children while mistress does her business. The children will be well taken care of."

"Thank you," Aletha said, grabbing her cloak and wand. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

The house-elf said something in reply, but Aletha was already halfway out the door. She was in the entrance hall before she realized she didn't even know where Malfoy Manor was. _This could be a problem…_

_Are you kidding me?_ the voice in her head said – Aletha could almost hear a pair of eyes rolling. _Honestly, how do you people make it through your day-to-day lives?_

_Excuse me, but I've never had any interest in going to Malfoy Manor, and it's not as though I'd be invited to tea,_ Aletha responded crossly.

_Right_, the voice said, sighing. _Get ready to Apparate and I'll guide you._

Aletha shook her head. _If Sirius doesn't admit me to St. Mungo's for the rest of my life after I tell him about this, I'll be very surprised._ Healers treated voices in people's heads, they didn't listen to them. _But if it gets me to Sirius, I won't complain until this is over._

She took a deep breath as she left the Hogwarts gates and began the familiar Apparating process. Her mind – or maybe it was the voice in her head – supplied her with the information she needed to get to Malfoy Manor, and with a _pop_ she disappeared.

* * *

Sirius Black was growing frustrated. It'd been nearly an hour since he'd left the cottage and gone to the Ministry to call in a few of his more trusted Aurors – Kingsley, Dawlish, and Proudfoot – and Apparated to Malfoy Manor. The only problem he found when they arrived was that Malfoy Manor had been put under some sort of concealment charm. The four Aurors had done everything they could think of to take the charm down, but nothing was working. 

And then Dumbledore had arrived. The headmaster had taken the charm down within minutes, and now the five wizards were going over their options.

"We can't just burst in there," Dawlish was saying reasonably. "You don't think Malfoy would have thought someone was going to come after Lupin and the woman?"

"But if we _don't _burst in there," Kingsley said calmly. "You-Know-Who's going to be back."

"I'm with Kingsley," Proudfoot said. "It'll be much better to get in there, mess up whatever Malfoy's doing, and get the hell back out."

"Don't you people listen to anything I say?" Sirius snapped. "It's one in the morning, they've been in there for hours. Whatever Malfoy was doing, it has to be over by now. I'm more concerned with getting my best friend and Danger to safety. We can deal with everything else later."

Dawlish looked at him. "We do listen to what you say, Black, but when your source is a six-year-old Muggle girl, you'll have to excuse me for not being as eager as you are."

Sirius pulled himself up to his full height. Sensing a fight coming on, Kingsley stepped between Dawlish and Sirius. "We don't have time for this. The two of you can fight out your egos later," he said, looking at Sirius pointedly. "And if we–" Kingsley trailed off, looking over Sirius' shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Sirius, isn't that your wife?"

Sirius spun around in time to see Aletha running up the path to join the wizards. "What're you doing here?" he asked her.

"I came to see what's taking you so long," Aletha said, looking up at Malfoy Manor. "Are they in there?"

"We think so," Sirius said, waving the question away. "Where are the kids?"

"With a house-elf," Aletha responded. "You and I have to get in there. Now."

"Hold on," Dawlish said, cutting off Sirius' reply. "We're not taking a civilian into a potentially dangerous situation."

Sirius turned back to him, his impatience getting worse. "Last I checked, Dawlish," he said coldly. "I'm the Head Auror; you're not. I'll be the one to decide who goes in there."

"Yeah? Well, maybe we need a new Head Auror, one who's _not _completely mental."

"Sirius!" Aletha yelled, grabbing her husband's arm as he made to attack the other wizard. "Stop it!" She looked around at the other men. "Only Sirius and I can go in there right now. No one else."

"Again," Sirius said to no one in particular. "_I'm the Head Auror, and I will make the decisions._ What is so hard to understand about that?"

Aletha turned to him. "You have to believe me, Sirius. You and I have to go in there. I know it's dangerous, but if we don't get in there, something bad could happen."

"What, you don't think something bad hasn't already happened?" Sirius asked her. "What is in there that you need to see so badly?"

Aletha started to answer, but looked over her shoulder to the other three Aurors who were listening carefully. Dumbledore was over by the gate looking on in amused patience – he hadn't said a word in a while, Sirius realized. _What does he have up his sleeve?_

Aletha stepped in closer to Sirius. "I don't know quite what's going on," she said quietly so the others wouldn't be able to overhear. "But I wouldn't be here if I thought I'd be hurt." Sirius raised an eyebrow at her. "All right, I wouldn't be here if I thought it would put Remus and Danger into more… well, danger."

For once, Sirius felt no desire to make a joke. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I could get sacked for this," he muttered.

"Not if none of them go blabbing. The only one you'll have to worry about is that blond one."

"Dawlish," Sirius said in a growl. "The git." He sighed again. "Alright, you and I will go in, but if we walk through the door, and I think it's a trap, you have to leave. Promise me that, Aletha."

Aletha wrapped her arms around Sirius' neck."I promise," she said quietly.

Sirius spotted her crossed fingers out of the corner of his eye, but decided not to say anything. "You lot, stay here," he told the Aurors. "I'll send a message in thirty minutes to let you know we're all right. Kingsley, you keep watch on the time. Proudfoot, Dawlish, I want you two to walk the perimeter, see if there's a back way in. Dumbledore… Well, do whatever you think you should do," he added lamely. Aletha raised an eyebrow at him. "What?" he whispered. "You try ordering Albus Dumbledore around."

"I have more sense than that."

"Are you sure about that? You did marry Sirius Black," Kingsley grinned. Sirius glared at him as Dawlish and Proudfoot began their perimeter checks – Dawlish only leaving after Proudfoot dragged him by his robe, wearing a very ugly look on his face.

"Come on, then," Sirius said. "Let's get this over with…"

"If you're certain you have everything under control, Sirius, I believe I will return to Hogwarts. You know how to reach me," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, sir," Sirius said. "Thank you for coming out here."

Dumbledore winked and smiled at Aletha before turning sharply and disappearing with an almost inaudible _pop_.

Side by side, Aletha and Sirius stepped through the tall gate surrounding the Malfoys' property, looking around them as they went for anything that might jump out at them. _I wouldn't put anything past Malfoy,_ Sirius thought.

"Once we get in there, do you know where we have to go?" he asked his wife, getting a better grip on his wand. "You seem to know everything else tonight."

"No, I don't know where we have to go, but I'm sure between the two of us, we'll figure it out."

"And how exactly do you know we have to go in there?"

Aletha rubbed two fingers along her wand. "I'm not sure you want to know that right now," she said as they reached the front door.

"Why not?"

"Because if I tell you, you'll want to send me back, and that's not going to happen."

Sirius snorted. "What, did you have some voice in your head telling you what needed to be done?"

Aletha hesitated.

He raised an eyebrow. "Tell me you're kidding," he said.

"I'm not insane," she said hastily. "At least I don't think I am," she added under her breath.

"No, I don't think you're insane," Sirius said, looking at her intently. "Would you think I'm insane if I told you I'm hearing voices as well?"

"Is your voice sarcastic and bossy?"

"Yes."

"Then no, I don't think you're insane," she said lightly as they climbed the flagstoned front steps. "Mine's the same."

Sirius shook his head in confusion. "We'll discuss this later. What did the voice tell you?"

"Only that you and I were needed for something. And it gave me an Apparition point – you think I'd know where Malfoy Manor is on my own?"

"Good point." Sirius entertained the idea that Aletha had lost her mind for a moment, but set it aside for later consideration. "Here we go."

He tried the door, expecting to find it locked, but the doorknob turned easily, and he pushed it open. "Normally, I'd let you go in first," he said, sticking his head and wand through the door. "But this isn't the time for manners."

"I agree," she said. "You're the Auror, not me."

Sirius entered the dark house without a single misstep. He knew the entrance hall and the rooms to the left and his right quite well – every time he'd come to question Narcissa about her husband's whereabouts, she had received him in one of those rooms. Carefully and quietly, the Blacks navigated their way through the lower floors of the house, but found no sign of either Remus or Danger.

"Sirius, over here," Aletha whispered, standing in front of a door that led presumably to a basement. "Do you think they'd be down there?"

Sirius shook his head. "I don't know," he said quietly, lighting the tip of his wand and holding it through the door. "It seems a little obvious, but–"

A _crack_ behind him made them both turn around to face a bat-eared, green-eyed house-elf. Sirius trained his wand on it, but Aletha pushed his arm down. "Mistress is expecting sir and ma'am," the house-elf said in a nervous, high-pitched voice. "Dobby will take sir and ma'am to his Mistress."

Sirius raised an eyebrow at Aletha. "Your mistress? You mean Narcissa? Why would she be expecting us?"

"Mistress knew sir would be coming shortly, and Dobby was instructed to take sir and ma'am to her. Sir's friends are there as well."

"My friends?" Sirius asked in partial relief. "Danger and Remus?"

"Dobby does not know names, sir," the house-elf said, looking at Sirius warily as though he expected the wizard to hit him.

"Are they all right?" Aletha asked.

"They is, ma'am," the house-elf, Dobby, said, nodding. "If sir and ma'am will come along, Dobby will take them to their friends."

Hesitantly, Sirius began to follow Dobby, taking Aletha's hand tightly in his own. "It could be a trap," he said very quietly. "If it is…"

"Then we'll find out when we get there, won't we?" Aletha said matter-of-factly. Dobby led them up a staircase and down a few corridors. Around them, portraits were watching them pass with narrowed eyes.

"In here," Dobby said, stopping before a pair of double doors. He turned the silver door handles and pushed the doors open, standing aside so Sirius and Aletha could enter. Sirius stiffened slightly at the sight of Narcissa, indeed waiting for them, standing with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Narcissa," he said coldly.

"Sirius," she said in the same tone. "I wondered if you would ever arrive."

"We were held up," he said evenly. "Where are…" He trailed off as he heard a soft bark. He looked around his cousin and found Remus, indeed transformed, sitting on a two-seater sofa beside Danger. And beside her was a little boy who looked vaguely familiar. He'd never seen the child on his past visits to Malfoy Manor, and it took him a minute to realize _why _he looked familiar, besides the obvious resemblance to Lucius. Like Aletha and Remus, and Danger, he'd been having odd dreams for the past few months, though he had kept it to himself…

"Danger!" Aletha said, rushing over to her friend and hugging her tightly. "Are you all right?"

Danger smiled. "Just fine," she said quietly. "I'm not hurt or anything."

"All right, Moony?" Sirius said to the werewolf, who jumped off the sofa and came to greet him. Moony nodded hard, directing his eyes toward Danger and managing something akin to a wolf-whistle in quiet howls. Sirius chuckled, then remembered something. He knelt before his friend. "Neenie said something about your potion being poisoned?"

Moony nodded again. Sirius' eyebrows met his hairline. "So how're you…"

"We'll explain later," Danger said quickly. "It's a very long story."

"And we do not have much time." Sirius turned to find Narcissa watching the exchanges with a closed expression. The blonde woman seated herself in a stiff, high-backed chair and gestured for him to sit across from her. Aletha took the spot next to Danger that Remus had recently vacated. Remus himself appropriated Danger's feet. "I am sure you've discovered what was to happen here tonight, cousin."

"I have," Sirius said. "And I'm sure you've discovered that I've come to keep it from happening."

"I have," Narcissa replied. "But that will not be necessary. The ritual has been interrupted, and the Dark Lord will not be returning to power this evening."

Sirius glanced at Aletha, who looked just as confused as he felt. "How could that be?" he asked Narcissa.

"Because Lucius' partner in the ritual is no longer loyal to the Dark Lord," Narcissa said. "Looking back, I do not know that she ever truly was."

"Who was his partner?" Sirius asked, brow furrowed.

"You will find out in time," Narcissa replied. "It is not important at the moment. There is something I wish to ask of you."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "And what is that?"

Narcissa glanced at the little boy beside Danger, curled up on the sofa, fighting sleep. "For many months now, my son has been experiencing odd dreams. He did not wish for me to become aware of these dreams, but I did, and I realized that the dreams made him happy in a way that I could never manage. I do not see him often, only when Lucius is not at home – which, thanks to you, has been very often since September. But even when I do see him, I do not know how to make him feel what he feels when he has his dreams."

"What kind of dreams?" Sirius asked quietly.

"I only know that he speaks of people he has never seen before in real life – children he has never met and would never meet until his time at Hogwarts arrives, and adults whom my husband would kill if he found out Draco has spoken with them."

"I see," Sirius said, though he really didn't. "I don't understand what you're asking, Narcissa."

"You are the adults of my son's dreams. All four of you," Narcissa said, looking around at the others. "And in these dreams, you care for Draco as though he were your own. I do not wish for my son to be raised in the same environment you and I were, Sirius. I want his happiness, and I know that I could never give him what he wishes for – a family where he is loved, and not taught how to hate. That is what I am asking, Sirius. For you and your friends to take my son, raise him as your own, and teach him what it is to be happy."

Aletha made a disbelieving sound, while Danger looked at Remus for long moments and he looked back. Sirius could almost have believed they were communicating somehow. He wished he had that luxury, but he was stuck trying to read Aletha's face, and she was looking at Draco, who was smiling at her hopefully. "You want us to take your son?" he repeated, looking back at Narcissa. "What about Lucius? Don't you think he'll have something to say about this?"

"Lucius will not have a choice in this matter," Narcissa said crisply. "After tomorrow, he will not have many choices anymore."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I will testify to the crimes I have seen Lucius commit," Narcissa said. "I am sure you, as an Auror, will know better than I how quickly he will be taken to Azkaban."

"Why would you do that?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

"Because my husband is ignorant and dangerous. He has been involved in things you would never be able to fathom, or wish to," she replied. "He deserves everything that will soon come to him. And once I am gone, my son will need a new caregiver–"

"What do you mean, once you're gone?" Sirius asked sharply. "Where are you going?"

Narcissa regarded him coolly. "I will remain no longer in this world. If I do, I will be arrested, anyway, once the fools at the Ministry realize I, too, bear the Mark of the Dark Lord."

_Well, that confirms that,_ Sirius thought. He'd always wondered if Narcissa had gotten the Dark Mark just like her husband and older sister. "So you would prefer death to a life in Azkaban?"

"Would not you?"

Sirius stared down at his hands, remembering. "I don't know," he said finally.

"In any case, Lucius' associates would have me killed before I ever came to trial – I find it easier to save them the trouble." She looked closely at Sirius. "Will you take my son?" she asked in an almost begging tone.

Sirius swallowed surreptitiously and looked over to where Aletha, Remus, and Danger were watching. "What d'you reckon?" he asked lightly, as though asking what they wanted for dinner.

Danger looked at Remus again, and turned back after a few moments, nodding. "Remus and I agree," she said. Sirius raised an eyebrow at her, and she raised one right back.

Sirius turned to his wife. "Letha?"

Aletha looked around Danger to the small boy, whose battle with sleep was almost lost. "What could it hurt?" she asked quietly, in a tone of someone still trying to digest everything that was happening.

Sirius turned back to Narcissa. "It is agreed," he said. "We will take your son, raise him as our own. He will know what it is to be loved and be happy."

Narcissa nodded stiffly – Sirius wondered if the shining in her eyes was caused by tears or something else. "Will you sign a contract I've prepared to make you his legal guardians?"

"I will," Sirius said.

"As will I." Aletha rose from her seat. "The boy will need a mother."

"And you?" Narcissa asked of Danger. "The werewolf obviously cannot sign."

"I will sign for the both of us," Danger said after a moment's thought.

"You are not married, correct?" Narcissa asked coolly.

"We plan to rectify that soon," Danger replied.

Sirius felt as if he should install lift buttons on his eyebrows. He looked at Aletha, whose lips were twitching. She shrugged. "It was going to happen sooner or later," she said quietly.

_This has to rank highest of all on my most-confusing-nights-ever list, _Sirius thought as Narcissa pulled a scroll of parchment from a desk drawer. _I wonder how long she's been planning this…_

Using a sharp black quill, Narcissa first signed her name, then handed it over to Sirius. He heard Danger's quiet, sharp intake of breath – _probably should have warned her that magical contracts sometimes require signing in blood…_ He didn't even wince as he wrote his name and saw the words cutting into the back of his hand. Wondering if he would someday regret this night's work, he passed the quill to Aletha. "Hell of a night," he said quietly, watching as Danger signed. Remus, who had come over to watch, snorted in agreement.

"It is done, then," Narcissa said, rolling up the parchment and handing it to Sirius. Next, she knelt before Draco, who had begun to wake up again when the adults stood up, jostling him. "Draco, my love, it is time to say goodbye. You will not see me after this night. You are to go with these people. These men," she gestured to Remus and Sirius, "will be your fathers, and these women, your mothers." Danger and Aletha smiled at him, and he gave them a small smile in return. "Do you remember what you dreamed about, Draco?"

"Yes," the boy said in a timid voice.

"And do you like the people in your dreams?"

"Yes."

"They will be your new family. You will be good for them, won't you?"

Draco gulped and nodded. "I'll be good," he promised quietly.

Narcissa reached out and stroked Draco's cheek twice before standing again. "Thank you, cousin," she said. "And the rest of you, thank you."

They all nodded.

"You must leave now. Take him and go. Instruct your Aurors to wait thirty minutes before coming in – they will find Lucius in the basement, unconscious."

Sirius nodded. "He will be taken to Azkaban," he said. "You have my word."

Narcissa nodded stiffly again, turned on her heel, and left the room briskly.

Sirius massaged his temples for a moment. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who's completely blown away by this," he said to his wife and friends.

Danger and Aletha smiled wryly. "Let's just get out of here; we can analyze it to death after we get some rest," Danger said, going to Draco. "Draco, I'm going to pick you up again, alright?"

Sirius expected the boy to shy away, but he held out his arms to Danger and allowed her to pick him up without much hesitation. The Auror pushed down his confusion and led the way out of the room and back down the corridor, briefly looking over his shoulder – he saw a door at the end of the hall close, and assumed it was Narcissa. None of them said a word as they went down the stairs and to the front door.

Just as he opened it, though, footsteps sounded behind them. He turned sharply and pushed Aletha out of the way, pointing his wand at the person. The shock he felt when he realized who it was nearly made him drop the wand.

"Naomi?" he said incredulously. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Naomi looked just as surprised to see him there, and Sirius only vaguely noticed that she was carrying a large black bag. "I…" she began.

"She helped us," Danger said to Sirius.

Sirius narrowed his eyes, ignoring Danger's words. "You were the partner Narcissa was talking about. The one who was helping Lucius bring Voldemort back."

Naomi bit her lip. "Yes, but it's not what you think. He came to me for help, and I couldn't turn him down – he would have killed me if I did."

"You're a Death Eater," Sirius said, realization dawning. He felt as though he'd been hit in the head with a Bludger. "You… That's why you left Remus, isn't it?"

"Sirius, please," Naomi begged. "I was stupid, and I'm paying for my mistakes. Please understand."

"Oh, I understand," Sirius said quietly, feeling pain he hadn't felt for years – the pain of realizing he'd been betrayed by a person he loved and trusted. "And we'll deal with what we're going to do with you later. You'll come back to Hogwarts with us."

Naomi looked at the bag she was carrying and opened her mouth to argue, but the look on Sirius' face told her she'd do better to just keep her mouth shut. "Alright," she said quietly. "Hello, Aletha."

"Hello," said Aletha in a carefully controlled voice. "Hello, she says. This after jilting one of my best friends, supposedly running off to America, but really running off to join the other side… Alright, I'm going to say it. What _else _can happen tonight?"

"Oh, Lord, Aletha, no!" Danger protested. "You can't say that! That's an open invitation to fate!"

"An open invitation to fate? Danger, look at us. We're an open invitation to fate just by _existing!_"

"Fight later," said Sirius, swinging his arm up to halt Danger's retort. Draco cringed. "Sorry, kid. But really, people, let's take first things first and _get out of here…_"

The Head Auror led the group out of the house and down the lawn towards the gates where Kingsley was waiting. "What took you so long?" he asked, glancing at the werewolf walking beside Danger, and the child in her arms.

"We were held up," Sirius said. "In thirty minutes, take Dawlish and Proudfoot inside to the basement. Malfoy ought to be there, unconscious. Take him to the Ministry holding cells until morning."

Kingsley nodded. "And where are you lot going?"

"Back to Hogwarts," Sirius said. "I'll be at Headquarters tomorrow – I've got an appointment with Narcissa Malfoy."

Kingsley raised a dark eyebrow, but didn't comment. "Are you Apparating or going by Portkey?"

Sirius glanced at the others. "Portkey may be the best bet right now. Danger can't Apparate, and Naomi isn't leaving my sight."

Without a word, Kingsley searched around for something to turn into a Portkey – he found an empty tin can in the bushes, performed the necessary spell, and handed it to Sirius. "Everyone put a finger on it," Sirius said, watching Naomi closely as she hesitated. "Don't even think about running," he warned her.

"I wasn't," she said coolly, interposing herself between him and Danger.

"Letha, put your hand on Remus' back, please, since Danger's hands are full," Sirius said. Aletha did, and Sirius had just enough time to see Dawlish and Proudfoot make their way back to Kingsley before he felt the familiar tug at his navel as the Portkey activated.

* * *

**AN: **Now that you've all picked yourselves off the floor after that heart attack you've surely when you saw that I updated this so soon... Obviously, there has to be at least one more chapter to wrap this up. So it's not over yet. And I wouldn't get used to such a quick update; chances are, it won't happen again. But then again, it just might. Either way, you know what I ask of you now. Please review. 


	11. Life Goes On

**AN: **I know I shouldn't be happy about this, but this is the end of the story, and I, for one, am relieved. I never thought I'd get through it. I wouldn't have if it hadn't been for Anne (whydoyouneedtoknow). More than half of this chapter was her doing, including some bits of, er, history from her Dangerverse (if you haven't read those stories, you really, really need to...) and the ending (which I thought was brilliantly done, personally). Anyway, thank you all for reading, and a _huge _thank you to Anne for everything. I owe you big time! Enjoy the last chapter, and as always, please review!

* * *

_**Complicated**_

By Neurotica

_Eleven_

Sirius walked down the spiral staircase from Dumbledore's office shaking his head in confusion. Aletha and Danger had gone back to their private quarters with Remus and Draco while Sirius took Naomi and her black bag to the headmaster. Two hours later, the Head Auror had finally been dismissed. He'd heard Naomi's tale of becoming a Death Eater (_to save Remus, she says)_, and how she'd done everything within her power to save Remus and Danger while they were locked in Malfoy's basement. He believed her on that, since he'd seen it, but he wasn't yet sure whether he believed her or not when she said she was never truly loyal to Voldemort (at which point she had glared down at her black bag and seemed to restrain herself from kicking it).

For Dumbledore's part, he patiently listened to her story and asked questions when they needed to be asked. By the end of it, Sirius was ready to slam his head against a wall just to make the world seem normal again. Thankfully, he was spared a concussion when Dumbledore said he wanted a few words alone with Naomi and sent Sirius off to be with his family. He made it to the private quarters without collapsing in the corridor and falling asleep, and muttered the password to the portrait of a giraffe while leaning on the opposite wall. The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole.

Tiredness kept him from feeling more than mild surprise when he found his entire family, plus one, in the sitting room. Aletha and Danger looked over at him from the couch, Danger offering a little wave and Aletha a blown kiss, and Remus lifted his head from where it lay in Danger's lap and whuffed slightly. Sirius nodded to them all, and was about to fall into an armchair, but didn't since it was already occupied. A smile came to his face as he looked at the sleeping blond boy.

_God, he's cute. There is no way Malfoy really realized what he had here, or he would have quit being a Death Eater, quit everything for this kid. And now he's ours… if I could have picked any way to get back at Lucius Malfoy, out of all the ways in the world, a most perfect revenge for what he did to Harry, I would never have thought of this – but I think this is it. A revenge of kindness…_

Only when Aletha cleared her throat did Sirius realize he'd been staring for far too long. He crossed the room and sat down in the armchair that was empty. Danger and Aletha were on either side of Remus, Danger scratching his ears, Aletha massaging his shoulders. The werewolf was practically cross-eyed.

Sirius looked down at the floor, finally taking in what he'd been seeing in passing for the last few minutes – two twin mattresses side by side in the middle of the room, and six pairs of arms and legs atop them in a tangled mess, along with assorted other body parts and heads featuring two varieties of black hair and one of brown. "And why aren't they in their beds?" he asked.

"No idea," Aletha said quietly. "But they're perfectly happy, so why disturb them?"

Sirius shrugged. "Whatever keeps them quiet, I suppose," he said, massaging his temples. "So it's official: nothing surprises Albus Dumbledore."

When he finished his story, Danger looked at Remus for long moments. "He says Dumbledore probably had an idea about Naomi," she said, turning back to Sirius. "Any idea what was in her bag?"

Sirius' eyebrows climbed his forehead – he still hadn't gotten a direct answer about how Danger could talk to Remus, but he decided to save his questions for a bit. "No idea, but it smells like… well, it smells really bad," he said hastily when Aletha and Danger glared at him. "That's probably what she and Dumbledore are discussing now." He sighed. "Okay, we need to talk about this." He gestured at Draco.

"We've been talking about it," Aletha said. Nonetheless, she drew her wand and cast a privacy spell around the adults. "I don't know about those three, but Meghan has mastered the art of pretending to be asleep while actually listening to what's being said around her."

Sirius looked impressed. "At five years old, huh? That's my girl," he said proudly. His wife rolled her eyes. "Anyway, what have you three decided?"

"Well, we already signed that contract, so I guess we're his legal guardians," Danger said. "Except for Remus, that is. I don't know how magical contracts work…"

"It was signed in blood, so it's binding," Sirius said. "That's the gist of it, anyway, and I don't want to be the one to break a bond created by a Malfoy."

"Right," Aletha said. "And from what Danger has said, she and Remus have both been dreaming about him for months, as have I. I think you're the only one who hasn't been having these dreams…" She trailed off as Sirius shook his head.

"I have been having the dreams," he admitted. "For quite some time, actually – since the day Remus and Harry came home from the park after meeting Danger and Neenie. They're everything you lot have said they were."

Aletha let her eyes bore into Sirius. "And you've not told us this… why?"

"Because I wanted to make life difficult?" Sirius said innocently.

Aletha's lips twitched. "Okay, so we've all been having the dreams. What about the voice?"

"The almighty voice…" said Danger, and grinned suddenly. "I think I may have an idea of _who_ it is, at least a name and a face, but not much more than that…"

"And?" Sirius prompted.

"He looks sort of like the pictures you've shown me of Harry's dad," Danger said, eyes closed in thought. "But I'm not sure that they're related… His name is Alex… Alexander something. It starts with S, and it's related to Hogwarts somehow."

"Not Slytherin?" Aletha inquired.

"Yes, actually, that was it."

Sirius choked. "I'm sorry, what?" he said. "We've been taking orders from a _Slytherin_?"

"All I know," Danger said hastily, sensing that Sirius was about to go over the edge, "is that he wasn't like his father or his brother."

"And who were his father and his brother that I should know them?"

"Well, his brother's name was Matthias, and his father's name was... Salazar."

"_What?_"

"I told you, all I know is the name."

"Danger, Salazar Slytherin lived over a thousand years ago," said Aletha, since Sirius was momentarily unable to speak.

"I know that. But I think I may know what happened, at least sort of."

"Do enlighten us," said Aletha dryly.

"All right, so Salazar Slytherin was a Founder of Hogwarts, and really interested in blood purity, to the point where he was willing to kill Muggleborns."

"And how do you know that when thirty seconds ago you didn't even know his name?" Sirius asked.

"I'm tapping a larger database," said Danger, drumming her fingers on top of Remus' head until he lifted a paw and swatted at her hand. "But anyway, he had two sons. Matthias and Alexander. Matthias thought his father was right about everything. Alexander wasn't so sure. So when he died, he… tied himself to the world."

"So he's a ghost?" Aletha asked.

"Not quite." Danger seemed to be putting it together as she spoke. "He had, or he was given, or he found some kind of greater power, and he used it to make a place where he could watch the world and try to help things go right, and fix the damage Salazar did all that time ago."

"This just keeps getting better and better," Sirius muttered to no one in particular. "And _why_ was he giving us orders?"

"Because if he didn't, the world wouldn't have worked out like it has," Danger went on. "He's the one who's been sending us the dreams – the one who got Aletha back here, the one who brought Remus and Harry, and Neenie and me to the park that day."

Sirius' head was spinning worse than it had been in Dumbledore's office. "So someone's been messing with our lives? Not that I'm complaining about anything that's happened, but doesn't anyone see something odd about that?"

"Sirius, this whole situation is odd," Aletha said. "But at least we've gotten out of it relatively sane." She smirked. "Not that you've ever _been_ sane, but that's beside the point…"

"Thank you," Sirius said. "Next point." He pointed at Remus, then at Danger. "_How?_"

Danger laughed. "We're just meant to be, I guess. I have the power to keep him normal during a transformation; he can keep his mind with me around, like taking Wolfsbane, except I…" She squealed and slapped the top of Remus' head. "I'm _not_ saying that!"

"May I?" said Sirius, snickering. "You taste better."

Aletha tapped her arm with her wand, making it grow to about twice its original length, and smacked him on the ear before restoring it.

"And as for how we can talk," Danger finished, "it's sort of a side-effect of the other thing, whatever we're going to call it. The normaling power or whatever."

"Handy side-effect," Sirius said, watching Remus look up adoringly at Danger. "Last point of discussion before I fall into one of these mattresses: living arrangements… We've all got custody of Draco…"

Danger looked down at Remus, then back up at Sirius, who stared. Her normally brown eyes had just a hint of blue in them now, the same blue as Remus' eyes… "Remus says, if it's okay with everyone, that we should just stick with living together to make it easier."

"Fine by me," Sirius said. "I was going to suggest that, but I didn't want to speak for Remus, since it's his house. It'll be a little cramped, though."

"We're witches and wizards," Aletha said patiently. "We can make adjustments where adjustments need to be made."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Well, since that's settled…" He slipped off the armchair and crawled over to the mattresses, lying down beside Meghan and obscurely flattered that she only stirred a bit before settling again. "Now all we need to do is introduce these three beasts to Draco."

"I don't think we'll have too much of a problem," Aletha said, yawning. She stood from the sofa and curled up beside Sirius. "There's room for two more," she added to Danger and Remus.

The werewolf jumped off the sofa and padded to the mattress, where he lay down next to Neenie, Danger fitting herself around the curve of his back. "Draco?" she said suddenly, lifting her head.

"He's good where he is," said Sirius, craning his neck to see the boy again. "Don't think he'd really want to be moved right now."

"Till tomorrow, then," Aletha said, waving her wand to turn down the lights.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore led Naomi Watts down the grounds of Hogwarts, carrying a black bag. The wizard had insisted he could complete the task on his own, and while Naomi was certain he could, she argued that she needed to be there. Dumbledore decided not to deny her this chance to rectify her past mistakes. 

The thing within the bag was officially dead, and neither Naomi nor Dumbledore had done the actual killing – apparently without the nourishment of a certain potion, the thing could not live beyond a few hours. It saved Dumbledore a lot of trouble that would surely have come otherwise, since the thing within the bag seemed unlikely to come back to power at any point in the near future. What really surprised Dumbledore was the fact that it'd been this easy – he'd had numerous late nights trying to devise plans on how the Dark Lord would be defeated, and none of them involved suffocation in a bag carried by one of his former students.

The pair made it to the edge of the forest, far from the prying eyes of any onlookers who might be awake and glancing out the window. Dumbledore sat the bag on the ground, backed up a few steps with Naomi, pointed his wand at the bag, and quietly said, "_Incendio_." Naomi cast a Bubble-head Charm at the first whiff of the foul smoke, and Dumbledore quickly followed her lead. They watched the bag burn for nearly an hour until the fire went out on its own, signaling the destruction of what had once been the most feared Dark Lord in history.

* * *

"Who d'you think he is?" 

"Dunno, but he looks familiar. Think I've seen him somewhere."

"Yeah, me too. Think we should wake him up?"

"Nah, let'm sleep. But I do think we should wake up Sirius and Remus."

"Why?"

"Because it'll be fun."

A pair of light grey eyes opened and watched three blurs moving around two lumps. The largest of the blurs stood over the lump with a top of black while the smaller two blurs stood on either side of the lump with a lighter top. He blinked several times and rubbed his eyes to clear them, finally resolving the blurs into two kids about his own age and one a bit younger. He sat up slightly, not wanting to draw attention to himself – he'd become quite schooled in not drawing attention – but wanting to see what the kids were about to do. He realized just a little too late that they were about to jump on the lumps – and that the lumps were people, adult people -

The lumps made strange strangled noises as though the wind had been knocked out of them – which was quite possible since the kids had jumped on their chests – and the one with black hair said words that would have made pale eyebrows rise appreciatively if their owner hadn't been certain that the kids had just earned themselves severe punishment, which would probably include him, simply because he was there…

"What in the name of Merlin are you three doing?" the light-haired man asked, sitting up with the two girls in his lap.

"Waking you up," said the boy with messy black hair. "Did it work?"

"Quite well, kid," the black-haired man said, rubbing his chest. "You've got some bony knees." The boy grinned. "Why didn't you wake up Letha and Danger like that?"

"Because Danger would have been mad," the bushy-haired girl said, getting comfortable in the light-haired man's lap. "And she's always grumpy in the mornings anyway."

"I would be too if that's the way you wake her up," the black-haired man grumbled, though he really didn't look all that angry. He adjusted the boy in his lap and glanced over to the armchair. His eyes widened a little. "Well, good morning."

Draco Malfoy gulped and shrank back into his chair. "G'morning," he mumbled.

"Sirius," the boy whispered in the man's ear. "Who is he?"

"His name is Draco, Harry, and it's rude to whisper," the light-haired man said. "I don't think we were properly introduced last night, Draco. My name is Remus, and this is Sirius." Sirius waved. "And these three are Meghan, Neenie, and Harry."

"Hi," the three children said in almost perfect unison.

Another form rose from the mess of bed sheets and blankets – it was a dark-skinned woman, rubbing her eyes. "Wha's goin' on?"

"Good morning, love," Sirius said, cheerfully. "And how did you sleep?"

"Shut it," the woman groaned. "Why are you all awake?"

"Because the kids thought it would be amusing to jump on our chests," Remus said. "Besides, we've got another one awake now."

The woman looked over towards Draco and smiled at him. "I see," she said. "Who are we voting to wake Danger so we can have breakfast?"

"I think Moony should do it," Sirius said. "He's less likely to get slapped."

Draco wasn't sure who Moony was, but Remus chuckled and bent over another bushy head. Moments later, the woman who he'd met last night was awake and looking around curiously. "Oh, hello," she said tiredly, spotting Draco. "Is it morning already?"

"Yes, and it's quite time for breakfast," Remus said.

"Agreed," the woman yawned.

Draco stayed in his chair as all the people, kids and all, got up from the floor. The adults vanished the mattresses and blankets, and conjured a table big enough for them all to sit at. Remus came over to Draco's armchair and knelt down in front of him. "Would you like to come sit with us?"

Draco gave a half-shrug, but slowly slid out of the chair and followed the man to the table, where he sat between Harry and Neenie. "Hi," Harry said, sticking out a hand.

"Hi," Draco said shyly, taking the hand and shaking it like his father had shown him. "Where are we?"

"Hogwarts," Harry answered. "We come here every month."

"Why?"

Harry hesitated and glanced at Remus, who was watching him with a small smile. "It's fine, Harry, Draco already knows."

"He does?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yes, he does," Sirius said. "And if it's alright with you, we're not going to discuss it right now. Okay?"

"Okay," Harry said.

Remus went over to the fireplace. Moments later, Draco jumped in surprise when a house-elf popped into the room. It wasn't really the sound that startled him, but the house-elf itself.

"Master Draco!" Dobby said excitedly, hugging the boy. "Dobby is wondering where Master Draco had gone. Mistress Narcissa freed Dobby after Master Draco is leaving. Mistress said to go to Hogwarts, and Professor Dumbledore sent Dobby to the kitchens."

"Oh," Draco said, confused. Why would his mother free the house-elf?

"Dobby, we were hoping for some breakfast," Remus said kindly.

Dobby bowed deeply. "Of course, sir," he said. "Dobby is at your service."

Draco shook his head. This was shaping up to be a very odd day.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, once the kids got used to having a fourth member of their group and when Draco decided to leave the sanctuary of his armchair, the adults led them all out onto the sunny grounds. Most of the Hogwarts students were in classes, but those who weren't paid no attention to the pack of people who'd walked out to the Quidditch pitch. The adults sat in the stands while Harry instigated a game of tag with Meghan, who immediately tagged Neenie. After a few moments of watching them chase each other around laughing and poking each other's shoulders, Draco decided to join in. 

"He's shy of us," Aletha said, watching the blond boy skid into the dirt to avoid being tagged by Harry. "But he's warming up to the kids without much of a problem."

"Well, if what Narcissa said was true, and he was having these same dreams as the rest of us, he knows them already," Sirius said. "Kids relate better with other kids than they do with adults. Once he sees the others' attitudes with us, I think he'll warm up."

"Ah, yes, Sirius Black, master of child psychology," Remus grinned, his arm slipping around Danger's waist. "He is right, though. Draco will come around. We just need to be extra cautious with him. He's grown up in a much different environment than Harry, Meghan, and Neenie, and it's not going to be easy to get him used to a whole new set of rules and surroundings."

"I don't regret it," Danger said quietly. "It was a split-second decision, but I don't think I'll ever regret agreeing to take him from that place and that father of his."

"Yes, well, that's another thing," Sirius said. "My Aurors hauled Lucius off to Azkaban this morning. Apparently he's none too happy with whatever it was Naomi did to him last night."

"What _did_ she do to him?" Remus asked.

"I can't tell you everything," said a voice behind them, "but it involved a Confundus Charm and a kiss I don't even want to think about…"

The adults spun around in the stands to find Naomi standing there looking very awkward. "Please excuse me, but I was just getting ready to leave for home – Dumbledore let me stay the night – and I wanted to say goodbye properly." She was looking mostly to Sirius and Remus.

"Have a seat," Danger said, despite Remus' mental glare.

Naomi hesitated, watching Sirius' wand arm warily.

"If he hexes you, I'll hex him back," Aletha promised, scooting aside for the other witch to sit. "We owe you a thank you."

Naomi shook her head. "You owe me nothing," she said quietly. "None of you, you don't owe me anything. I'm just glad you all made it out of there."

"Well, you did take Lucius down for us, and let these two nuts out of their shell," Sirius said, nodding towards Remus and Danger. "Not to mention you saved us all from what would have been some nasty times." They'd been told by Dumbledore earlier in the day about what was in Naomi's bag.

Danger shivered. "Did you really have to touch that thing?"

"I tried levitating it, but it didn't work," Naomi said, shivering herself at the thought. "Look, I owe you all an apology. If it hadn't been for me–"

"We never would have gotten out of there," Remus said quietly, not looking at Naomi. "Even I will admit that you helped us a great deal last night, Naomi, and…" He sighed. "Taking into account everything that's happened between us… I think we're even."

Naomi bit her lip and nodded. "Okay, then," she said, standing. "I guess I'll see you lot around. Danger, it was nice meeting you. You'll be very happy with Remus. I was," she added under her breath.

"Naomi, wait," said Danger as the other woman turned to go. "Why don't you come by the cottage sometime?"

Remus looked at her in surprise. **What are you doing? **

**You said you were even. Why can't you be friends?**

He sighed. **It's not that easy. **

**Says the man who isn't even trying. Watch. **"We've all decided we're going to live together," said Danger, waving to herself, Remus, Aletha, Sirius, and out to the pitch where the kids were now playing leap frog. "It wouldn't be such a bad thing to have a friend come by every so often."

"I'm not sure I should," Naomi said, glancing at Sirius and Remus.

"They have no choice in the matter," Aletha said decisively. "This is a direct invite from myself and Danger. Personally, I wouldn't mind having you around again. It's been a while…"

"We have no choice?" Sirius asked, looking over at his wife.

"Nope," she said lightly, smiling innocently. "What d'you say, Naomi?"

Naomi smiled at the indignant looks on Sirius' and Remus' faces. "Sure. Send an owl sometime, I'll be around."

"Good," Aletha said. "Now unless you have to be somewhere right now, sit. Danger and I need to be able to outnumber these two goons."

"Who're you calling a goon, woman?" Sirius asked.

"Who're you calling woman, goon?" Aletha retorted.

Sirius sighed heavily. "Moony, we're in a lot of trouble."

"You didn't know that already?"

* * *

**_Four years later:_**

Lucius Malfoy came awake with a wild start, pressing a hand to his chest.

_A dream. It was all a dream. Not the Dark Lord's fall, but the rest of it. _He took deep, slow breaths, calming himself. _I was never hounded from my home like a criminal, I never had to sneak back in under cover of darkness… everything that was mine still is mine. _

Including his son. Lucius pondered Draco as he got dressed. The boy was eleven years old today, and would soon be receiving his Hogwarts letter. Perhaps a fatherly lecture on proper behavior and deportment would not go amiss today, along with some dignified congratulations on achieving such a lordly age. Accordingly, he summoned Dobby and sent the creature to fetch Draco.

_Dobby seems happy this morning. How strange._ Lucius made a mental note to punish the elf later that day as a knock sounded on the door of his dressing room. "Come in!"

Draco entered the room, dressed in neatly pressed green robes. Lucius noted with pleasure his son's upright posture, his straight shoulders, the way he lifted his chin ever so slightly to look his father in the eye. _You were born to command, my son, and command you shall. All that you desire will be yours._

"Good morning, Draco," he said. "Many happy returns of the day."

"Thank you, sir." Draco dropped his eyes to examine the carpet. "You wanted to see me?"

"Merely to give you my felicitations, and to remind you of certain things which cannot be far off."

"Like my Hogwarts letter."

"Indeed. You may sit." Lucius watched as Draco found a chair. "Tell me, my son, where do you want to be Sorted?" It was a rhetorical question only, of course. For a Malfoy, there could be only one correct answer.

Draco lifted his gaze to his father's face again and took a breath to respond –

The door opened. Lucius turned his head sharply to face whoever was entering the room without his permission. "How dare you–" he began, then stopped in confusion. He had expected Narcissa, or perhaps Dobby, though the elf usually Apparated in (or whatever it was house-elves did). The person at the door was neither of these, though she was about Dobby's height. Her hair was brown and wavy, falling to her shoulders, and her eyes were blue and bright with mischief.

And fixed on his son. "D'aco!" she exclaimed, launching herself across the room. "Found you!"

Draco laughed and scooped the child into his arms. "Yes, you found me, Abby. You win. But I have to do some work here. Can you go find Marcus and play with him?"

"He's no fun," the girl stated, pouting. "He doesn't wanna play. Who's that?" She pointed at Lucius.

"That's my father."

"Ohhh." Abby looked at Lucius for a long moment, then slid off Draco's lap, walked over to Lucius, drew back a small foot, and kicked him in the shin.

Lucius inhaled sharply. Draco jumped to his feet and snatched the girl away just as Lucius made a grab for her. "Abby, that's not nice," he scolded, herding her to the door. "I'll tell your mummy if you do that again. Go on, shoo." He closed the door behind her and turned back to face Lucius. "Surprise," he said, coming back to sit down in his chair.

"Yes, I am," said Lucius, regaining his composure. "Who is she, and how do you come to know her?"

"Her name is Abigail Rose. I know her because she's my little sister, as far as that's possible."

Lucius frowned. "Are you feeling all right, Draco?"

"I could ask you the same question. Have you honestly forgotten everything that happened since I was little? Everything?"

Nagging doubts were beginning to creep into Lucius' mind. _What if it wasn't a dream…? What if it was…_ "What do you mean?" he asked, banishing the doubts.

"I mean that this hasn't been your home for years. Not since I was a baby. Or not a baby, but about five or six. First you tried to bring Voldemort back and got caught–" Draco grinned lopsidedly as Lucius sat bolt upright. "Yeah, I say his name. Like I said, you got caught trying to help him come back. Or not caught, but seen. You were on the run for a while, and then you tried it again, and that time you did get caught. I was about seven then. Lucky for me, Mother saw which way things were heading, and arranged for me to be taken care of."

"And the child is from your foster family."

"That's right." Draco's grin broadened just a trifle. "Do you know who she is?"

"Of course not."

"Let me jog your memory, then. Follow me." Draco rose and opened the door. Baffled, Lucius followed his son down passages which seemed subtly different than he recalled. He glimpsed phantom forms in side hallways, but they darted out of sight when he turned his head to look. Through doors, down stairways, one more corridor –

"Here." Draco flicked on a light. Lucius looked around the plain room and felt a memory surfacing. He had stood here before, looked through that window, looked in at…

"Abby's parents, my foster parents, were right in there," Draco said, pointing at the window. "One set of my foster parents, anyway. The other set came in later. And you and Aunt Naomi were out here with me." He pulled a chair over to the window and climbed up on it. "Remember now?"

Lucius remembered. "Are you telling me," he said slowly, feeling his chest fill with disbelieving rage, "that you have been fostered – that you have been _touched_ by… by…"

"Remus Lupin?" Draco finished, jumping down from the chair. "Yes."

"Werewolf." The word sent bitterness through Lucius' mouth. "Less than human, less than animal, not even fit for a rug–"

He doubled over as Draco's foot hit him in the gut. "I always thought he made a pretty good dad myself," the boy said, looking coldly at him. "_Unlike_ you. Would you care to come out of your fantasy world and see some reality for once?"

Lucius straightened painfully and looked down his nose at the traitorous brat. "Do what you like," he said haughtily.

Draco brightened. "Really? Great!" He raced out the door before Lucius could catch him, and a moment later everything blurred before Lucius' eyes, then reformed into new shapes. He stared around, aghast. What had been a perfectly good dungeon was now a room filled with assorted pieces of furniture, most of which seemed broken in some way, and none of which had ever been in his home at any time…

"We call this the Wreck Room," said Draco from the door. He was now wearing Muggle clothes, jeans and a tee shirt, Lucius noticed, and the shirt had something printed on it that he couldn't quite make out –

Draco glanced down. "Like the shirt?" he said. "It says, 'What're _you_ looking at?'"

Lucius did not respond to what was obviously a calculated insult. "How did this happen?" he asked coolly.

"What, the invasion? Well, when somebody burned down Remus' old house, we had to live somewhere. All Sirius had was his flat in London–"

"Sirius? Sirius _Black?_"

"Unless you know another Sirius. He's my other foster dad. Anyway, Letha suggested–"

"_Who_?"

"Sirius' wife. My foster mum. Along with Danger. Remus' wife," Draco added before Lucius could ask. "You remember. The Muggle."

_And Black's girlfriend was Muggleborn._ Lucius was beginning to see the shape of what had happened to him, and overall he thought he liked the dream world better. "So you chose to come and live in my house," he said.

"Not yours anymore," said Draco airily. "You lost title to it when you went to Azkaban, and Mother renounced her claim. So it came to me, and since I obviously couldn't live there all by myself, no one saw any big problem with all of us moving in. Care to see what else we've done with the place?"

Lucius wrestled with himself and finally nodded. Better to know the worst than to live in ignorance.

"Right this way, then." Draco waved him out of the Wreck Room with a grand gesture.

Before too long, Lucius was questioning his decision. Ignorance might have been better than knowing that his gracious home had been redone in a style he could only describe as "primitive." Why, the place looked no different than the houses of the Muggles he'd seen when he'd been a Death Eater!

"Here we are," said Draco as they came to a wall of framed photographs. "Family portrait." He indicated one very large frame, which had ten people in it. "Oy, settle down in there," he said, pounding the corner of the frame with his fist. "Someone wants to look at you."

The photographic people grumbled silently but settled into place.

"You know Remus and Danger and Sirius and Letha," said Draco, pointing to each adult in turn. "And me, obviously. There's Hermione." The girl Lucius hadn't been able to find that night at the Muggle woman's home wiggled her fingers at him. "And Meghan and Marcus." A dark-skinned girl of about eight bounced a similarly colored two-year-old on her knees. "Sirius and Letha's," Draco added over his shoulder. "Abby's Remus and Danger's." The little girl who had kicked him nestled against her father's shoulder. "And, last but not least, Harry."

Lucius reflected for a moment on the total incongruity that Harry Potter's photograph should be hanging on the wall of his home. For that moment, he saw the situation in all its ridiculous glory, and was tempted to laugh it all off, to enjoy it for its peculiarities –

But then he recalled why, exactly, the photograph was hanging there, and what it meant, and a far more prudent feeling of rage overtook him. These people had stolen everything from him – his life, his home, his _son_ –

"And in case you're still wondering," Draco said from the doorway of a room nearby. "Gryffindor."

The door slammed, and Lucius awoke. He lay on a pile of moldy straw in a cell in Azkaban. The noise of the door closing had been real. A small slab of wood and a crude cup sat on the floor. Lucius knew from experience that the slab contained coarse bread and something which might have at one time approximated cheese, and the cup liquid that could pass for water if one didn't look too closely. He also knew from experience that screaming would do nothing to alleviate his situation.

Nonetheless, it felt good.

* * *

Remus Lupin ran his hand over his wife's slightly protruding belly. **We really shouldn't have done this, you know,** he told her. 

**Oh, don't be such a worrywart,** she retorted. **Letha says he's normal, and you know the error margin on these tests is very small. Now would you mind getting your head out of worry-mode for a while?**

**Yes dear.**

"You've got that look on your face," Aletha said as Remus and Danger drew level with the Blacks. "He's saying 'Yes dear,' isn't he?"

"You know, this isn't fair," said Remus. "I always knew my own wife would be able to read me like a book, but having someone else's wife do it too is just a bit much."

"Your own fault for being predictable, Moony," said Sirius. "Do what I do. Never let them know what you're going to do next."

He pulled Aletha in for a kiss. She reached around behind him and knuckle-rubbed a certain spot, and he let her go with a yelp. "Sirius Black, you are as readable as a _Daily Prophet_ headline from six inches away," she told him. "And just about as useful most of the time. Go amuse the children."

Sirius made a face, then dropped to all fours and bounded into the trees as Padfoot. Gleeful shouts greeted him – all six of the children adored the big black dog. Marcus had gone through a phase where he wouldn't go to sleep unless Padfoot was lying by his bed.

"We ought to have left someone inside," said Danger, glancing over her shoulder. "The guests will be here any minute…"

"Dobby can do it," said Aletha, setting down the box she'd carried out. "But I'm going to go find Sirius and the kids. You two need a bit of time alone, I think."

"Do we?" Remus asked Danger as Aletha headed into the woods.

She smiled and leaned forward.

**Well, I guess we do.**

A few minutes later, Danger was setting up the tables with her wand, while Remus unfolded eighteen chairs. Ten were for the inhabitants of the manor house –

_Manor house. Who would ever have expected to see me living in a manor house?_ But a few full moons after the acquisition of Draco, Remus had awakened to the smell of smoke, and had barely managed to get Danger awake – a few more moments and they both would have died of smoke inhalation. Weak from the smoke they'd already breathed, all they could do was get out and watch as the cottage burned to the ground. It had been a clear case of arson, but no one had ever been charged, though Sirius had his suspicions about certain former Death Eaters.

Remus had spent several days trying to remember that all he'd lost were things, that it was people that mattered more than things. Danger's rather timely announcement of her pregnancy had snapped him out of that particular funk, but thrown him into a deeper one – he had nowhere for his child to live now, and what if the baby was a werewolf? Aletha had solved his problems by first performing a prenatal test which confirmed his daughter was normal, then reminding everyone that there was a large and currently uninhabited house which belonged to a member of their family. They'd moved into what had been Malfoy Manor within the week.

_And pretty soon, we'll need eleven chairs for us._ Remus smiled as he opened a chair for Naomi and one for her husband of a year, Kingsley Shacklebolt. _And three for them in about a month… _Three chairs for Weasleys – Ron and Ginny had been invited, and Molly would certainly want to stay a few minutes to chat; another for Luna Lovegood, who had been introduced to the children by Ginny, and whom Draco seemed rather taken with; and the last two for the Longbottoms, Augusta and her grandson Neville, who had returned Meghan when she had run away from Aletha at Diagon Alley one day, and who had immediately been voted a friend by the rambunctious crew of six.

Remus set the last chair on its legs and stretched his back. _Our lives may be complicated,_ he thought. _But I don't think I'd want it any other way. _

Danger finished conjuring tablecloths and straightened up, smiling at him. He smiled back.

_Check that. I know I wouldn't want it any other way._

**End**


End file.
